Beyond the Sea
by Katherine Austen
Summary: Jate Skate Fic, Kate in emotional distress, Jack's playing the hero, and Sawyers feelin' guilty. R & R peeps! Lost Fic. Minor LanguageSexual situationsreferences.
1. Chapter One: The Loss

Kate moved a wavy strand of hair from her eyes and then look down to her feet. She sighed andthen shifted her eyes to stare out, beyond the sea. Surrounded by darkenss, tears slowly rolled down her freckled cheeks. She tried not to sob but reality hit her like a rock to her chest. She could hear someone slowly approaching from behind. She wanted to yell out "**_GO AWAY!"_** But a part of her longed for someone's shoulder to cry on. She wiped the tears from her face and cleared her throat. 

Jack sat down beside her and though of something to say. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Kate ran her hand over her lower stomach and sighed. "Still cramping."

"Any more bleeding?" He asked.

"Not Really."

Jack nodded, taking his hand to her forehead. "You still feel warm, come back to camp and get some rest."

"I'm fine," She said solemnly.

"This is a good thing, really it is Kate, think of the circumstances."

"Its hard, Jack. Its hard when you finally came to grips with what was going to be...finally accept it and then BAM. Its gone. I started to fall in love with this baby and now..." Her voice cracked and she hung her head.

"I know its been said here, thousands of times but...things happen for a reason?" Jack shrugged. Kate didn't respond. He put his hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.

"Its going to be alright...Please, come back to camp with me, have some water and lay down, you shouldn't be up like this."

"Jack, I'm FINE." She said, firmly. Jack nodded, patting her shoulder and getting up. "I'll leave you be."

Kate grabbed his hand before he started to walk off and softly said, "Thank You." Jack looked to the sand as he nodded, then turned to walk back, he needed to relieve Locke. Sawyer stopped Jack as he passed the camp.

"Look, Sawyer..."

"I just want to know how she is," Sawyer asked.

"And I'm to believe you actually give a shit?"

"Listen, cowboy, get off your fucking high horse for once," Sawyer started, waving his finger in Jack's face. "Go ride off into the sunset and stay out of our lives."

"You know very well if she had that baby and say someday...we ARE rescued, you'd take off before you would have to take any responsibility. Kate would end up in prison and her child would have no father. I stepped up, I've been there for her. You've sat around smirking at your "good work", that child is better off now," Jack snapped andSawyer was overcome with rage as he shoved Jack.

"You sayin' I couldn't love somthin' Jack?"

"You don't know what love is, Sawyer," Jack said, restraining himself from socking Sawyer smack in the jaw. "Just because you manipulated her into sleeping with you, it doesn't make you a father. It makes you a sperm donor, STAY AWAY FROM HER," Jack growled, before he started walking off again.

"True feelin' showin from under your armor there, brave knight Jack," Sawyer started. "A little jealous are we?" Jack started to turn to face Sawyer but started off again upon realizing ignoring him was the better option. "You come in on your white horse tryin" to steal my woman."

Jack stopped in his tracks, turning to Sawyer and glaring. "She is not your woman!"

Sawyer shook his head, smirking. He stood there for a second, finally decided he should talk to Kate. But as he started off, he saw that Claire was already doing so.

He shook his head again and laughed at himself. "You're the master of fuckin' shit up..." He muttered to himself, kicking up some sand and heading back to shelter. There wasn't much he could say anyways that could fix the situation. He laid down, closedhis eyes and was overwhelmed with thoughts & feelings he tried incredibly hard to ignore.

Off in the distance Claire gave Kate a hug and the two sat, staring in the night sky. Perhaps Jack was right, perhaps this happened for a reason... Kate stood up, dusted herself off and motioned for Claire to follow her back to camp. She was exhausted and as much as she fought it, she needed sleep.


	2. Chapter Two: Boredom and Booze

Disclaimer: I do not own nor know anyone from Lost or ABC. If that were the case. I'd have Evangeline Lilly in my closet LOL.

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_**Two Months Earlier...**_

The Jungle was quiet as Kate trekked through, on her way to gather some fruit. A rustle in the bushes to her left stopped her and listened for a moment before Sawyer popped out, grabbing her waist and scaring the living shit out of her.

She yelped and pushed him away.

"Not so happy to see me?" He smirked.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm OVERJOYED to see you Sawyer."

"Thought you might need some company, I'm bored to shit on the shore anyway."

"I'm all right." She said, continuing her walk. Sawyer followed. "You should know by now I'm pretty good at taking care of myself," she added.

"Deja-Vu here, darlin'," he smiled, the both thought back to a similar situation a while ago. He followed her as she walked.

She realized he wasn't going anywhere and stopped, setting her bag below a tree.

"Catch what I throw down," she ordered, andshe scooted upthe tree in no time.

"You a squirrel in your past life, Freckles?"

He could hear her laughing at him.

Without warning, she was tossing fruit down at him. He carefully caught every bit and she slid down. "That was the best that was up there, everything else is pretty infested," she said as she dusted off her hands then started off again as Sawyer put the fruit in her bag. He handed it back to her, her hand touching his. It was an awkward moment and Kate pulled away after they looked at each other for a second.

They both continued to walk in silence, before Sawyer cleared his throat and began talking, "Jack and you haven't seemed so buddy buddy lately."

Kate shrugged. "Seems like Ana Lucia has more important things to say."

"You jealous?" Sawyer smirked.

Kate turned to face him, "Are you?"

Sawyer made a disgusted face. "Of Ana Lucia and Jack?" He shook his head. "Fuck No!"

Kate rolled her eyes. "No, of Jack and I."

"Maybe I am," He said, catching her off guard. He gave her his sly smile and continued on.

"Its only obvious."

"Ooo, developing quite the ego, sweetcheeks."

Kate smiled at him. "I can't help it if I'm irresistible."

"Wouldn't go that far."

Kate slipped on a the damp earth and Sawyer caught her before she fell. "Thanks," She said as he so stood, only inches from his face. He started to bring his face closer to hers, as if attempting to steal a kiss, but he stopped himself.

She stepped back and motioned for them to head back. "I'm bored. Let's find something more fun to do," she noticed Sawyer giving her his signature look.

"Something non sexual yet fun to do."

"Awww shucks, always gotta label me the perv, don't cha?" He smirked. "Well, then, Drinks at my 'pad,' whaddaya say Sassafras?"

Kate nodded. Boredom hung heavy around her, and drinking with Sawyer was a guaranteed good time.

Things at camp were fairly quiet. Aside from the shuffling of feet, gentle whispers carried on the wind and the occasional cry from Aaron. The winds cooled the warm night and the sky was clear and full of stars. Kate and Sawyer slipped under the canopy of his shelter and he dug up some small bottles of tequila. They knocked the little bottle together said cheers and both tilted their heads back, consuming the entire little bottles in record time.

"Wanna make this a contest?" Sawyer asked, playfully.

"Tch-yeah, if you want your ass kicked," Kate responded.

4 "shots" later Kate was smiling wide, feeling rather tipsy. "Given up, sweetcheeks?"

"You wish," She laughed.

"So..." Sawyer said, handing her another small bottle.

"Sawyer I know what you're thinking, when she drinks she talks. Don't bring up Jack. It gets old. Talk about something else."

"Read me like a book, don't cha darlin...just ever since Ana Lucia's been playin' puppy dog to him you've been testy."

She shook her head. "Just don't trust her is all." She gulped down the little bottle then looked to Sawyer. "No Jack, no Ana Lucia..."

"Well, we can't talk about Baseball can we? Or last weeks soaps," he shrugged. He thought for a second, then said,"We could talk about...you and me."

"What you and me? There is no you and me," she laughed. They looked into each others eyes for a moment and Kate made herself look away. Her heart was beating fast and a nervous feeling overwhelmed her.

She was so tempted to leap on him and kiss him passionately, but confusion clouded her mind. She kept thinking about Jack as she stared at Sawyer.

Despite his sarcastic asshole behavior, he always took interest in her. And even if he pretended not to, he always listened. She smiled thinking of the times they had swimming together...like, the time they found the silver case. In her heart she felt something for Sawyer she couldn't explain, but she had no one she could talk about it with either. But in her heart, she felt something for Jack as well. The alcohol clouded her mind, and thoughts became irrational.

Sawyer smiled at her, laughing under his breath. "What?" He asked, as she stared at him.

And before she could think not to, her lips were touching his. He didn't pull away, he kissed her back, passionately.

And within moments,clothing wasa thing of their pasts.


	3. Chapter 3: Emotional Rollercoaster

**_Present Time..._**

"How are you feeling?" Sayid asked, softly, approaching Kate and Claire. Kate shrugged. He handed her a bottle of water and she smiled softly at him.

"I guess I feel a little naseated still."

"I'm not too knowledgeable in pregnancy, but should you feel nauseated still?" He sat down next to the two females. "Have you spoke with Jack?"

Claire piped up, "No, and she wont. I asked the same thing."

"There could be something very wrong with you, Kate. Infection, complications. I do know that losing a child is not easy on you physically..." He watched her eyes drop to the sand. "Or, emotionally."

Kate sighed, and then nodded. "I'll talk to him." Claire looked at her in disbelief. "I promise." She looked over at Aaron, sleeping sweetly next to Claire. It broke her heart to see him, but at the same time, watching him smile and listening tohim coo helped her as well. She pushed herself up to her feet, dusted the sand off her hands and followed Sayid to find Jack.

He wasn't too hard to find, he was at the Hatch fairly often now.

"Kate needs to talk to you," Sayid said, as Kate walked up behind him.

He could see the worry in her eyes. Instantly he touched her lower stomach. "You don't look so good," he said. Then his eyes filled with confusion. "Nor do you FEEL good."

Kate looked worried. "I've been naseous."

"How long has it been since you stopped bleeding?"

Kate thought for a moment. "A week."

"You uterus is still hard," He said pushing her lower stomach some more.

"Kate, do twins run in your family?"

"Not that I...Jack, what are you saying?"

"It happens more often then people would think. A woman is pregnant with twins and only carries one to term."

"Whoa," Kate said backing away from him. "I am just now starting to come to grips with losing a baby, after I had just barely come to grips with being pregnant, now I find out, I'm possibly STILL pregnant," she sighed. "I need to talk to Sawyer," she said, starting to walk off.

"Kate, this isn't a for sure. We need to keep an eye on your over the next couple of weeks you need-" And before he could finish. She was gone.

Walking through the jungle, thoughts invaded Kate's mind like a plague.

She couldn't help but think back to the day she originally told Sawyer of her pregnancy suspicions...

_"Hi Sawyer," Kate said, walking up behind him as he fiddled with some rocks in the sand._

_"Ah, look who it is, the traitor."_

_"Sawyer, we need to talk."_

_"Talk? Talk to you? What you feelin' a little down in the dumps for what you did? I'm not your backup buddy when Dr. Feelgood won't give you the time of day."_

_Kate sighed. "Sawyer, you KNOW I..."_

_"No Kate, I don't know anything. You told him I manipulated you. You jumped on me like a lioness in heat, I thought for a brief moment you were over him and...Fuck, forget it."_

_Kate sighed again, "Listen Sawyer you can hate me all you want, but I came here with something very important to say."_

_"You and Jack gettin' amrried, inviting me to the wedding? No thanks."_

_"Sawyer..." She sat down next to him. "I think I'm pregnant."_

_"Wait, wait..." He said waving his hands. "Rewind. You think you're..." He laid back back in the sand and brought his hands to his head, __"You're speakin' chinese to me here."_

_"Sawyer, I'm...I'm not joking."_

_"Well, how do you know?"_

_"Claire and I track our...you know."_

_"You CAN talk to me like an adult, we only had sex..."_

_"We keep track of our periods and mines two weeks late."_

_"Thats nothing, you're fine."_

_"Sawyer, no I'm not...I've had some light spotting and I've always been regular and...you didn't exactly you know use protection."_

_"ME? This is my fault now, don't pin the tail on this donkey, sweetheart." Sawyer said. "Had you have not LEAPT on me..."_

_Kate started to cry. Sawyer sat up. He sighed and thought for a moment. "I uh...I'm sorry."_

_Kate wrapped her arms around him and he held her close. "I never wanted to be a father. Now I'm sitting her faced with this and I don't know what the fuck to do or say. I've fucked up my own life, I don't need to fuck up some kids life either."_

_"All I've done is thought about how I'd be bringing a child into this world on an island, and if I get off this island...in prison. I'm scared, I...I just don't know what to do."_

_Sawyer slipped his hand down and gently touched her stomach. "We do what we have to do...I guess. We make best with what we've got and ride on into battle. But we need to know for sure."_

_He got up, helping Kate up and they went back to dig through his tuff. He knew he had another pregnancy test somewhere, other then the one he gave to Sun. He found it and handed it to Kate. "You know what to do, right?" She nodded. "I'll be right back." She said. Within moments she was back. She handed him the plastic strip and nervously looked away._

_"Now we wait," he said. Those couple minutes seemed like hours. Kate couldn't stay still and Sawyer was counting down the moments in his head._

_"Look at it," he said handing it to her. She pushed his hand away._

_"No, you look," she softly said. He took a deep breath and then let it out in a sigh._

_"Looks like the two most underqualified people in the world...are going to be parents, Momma."_

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Kate reached Sawyer's shelter where he was going through his things.

"Hi," Kate said softly.

"Hey," Sawyer replied. "How you feeling?"

"Pregnant."

Sawyer looked confused.

"I may still be pregnant Sawyer. I've still got the full on symptoms and Jack says my uterus is still hard, he thinks I was pregnant with twinsa nd just misscarried one of them...he said it happens often and..." She sat down. "I'm an emotional fucking rollercoaster."

Sawyer sat down beside her. "Shit, room on that ride for me?"

"Do you have anymore pregnancy tests?" She asked.

"I can look," He said, digging through his stuff again. He pulled out a little white vacuum sealed package.

"I do know that you still have some hormones if you misscarry...but not enough after a few days to make a false positive," Kate stated.

"So...take it..."

She shook her head. "Not yet, I wanna wait...you know, just to be safe. This is...this is the rest of our lives Sawyer...I just want to be sure. One hundred percent sure," she stood up, and Sawyer grabbed her hand before she could leave, thinking back on what Jack said to him on the beach.

"Whatever the outcome Kate...I'll be here," he said, squeezing her hand. She gave him a somber smile. "Stay with me tonight. You know, I gotta act like the tough guy and protect you and..." She kissed him before he could finish. She pushed him down and he stopped her. "I don't think its such a good idea in your..."

"Sawyer...in all honesty...do you ever NOT think about me in a sexual way?" She laid down next to him, cuddling up close and resting her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat. It was beating fast as she breathed in deeply and closed her eyes, wrapping her arm tightly around his waist.

And after days of barely sleeping, she was finally fast asleep on his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair, and held her close, and soon enough, they were both deeply dreaming.


	4. Chapter 4: Boys Will Be Boys

Kate awoke the next morning, alone. She sat up, looking around, she peeked out to see that the sun was rather high in the sky. How long had she been asleep? In the distance she could hear yelling. She emerged from sawyer's hut to see Jack and Sawyer arguing on the beach, Jin holding Sawyer back. She ran as quickly as she could, before she started to feel dizzy. She stopped a few feet away from them, and as they noticed her there, they grew quiet. Kate was about to speak, but her dizziness became overwhelming and she fell forward, Jack leaping to catch her. Sawyer glared at him as Jin let him go. He kneeled down next to Jack and Kate trying his hardest to hold back from socking Jack square in the jaw.

"She alright?" He asked instead.

"She needs to drink more water. Dizziness and fainting spells can happen often in pregnancy."

Sun came walking over with some sort of drink. "This helped me." She said softly. It was a mix of things from Sun's garden, that would helped ease her stomach, her mind and her thirst all at once. As Kate came too, she looked up at Jack and then immediately over to Sawyer.

Softly she said, "If this has to do with me, I'm kicking both your asses."

Jack helped her to her feet. "You need to rest as much as possible Kate, don't exert yourself. Lots of fluids and eat when you feel up to it. Sun said this should help you." He said, handing her the drink Sun made.

"Sawyer, STAY with her. She needs you right now. And you're so God damned stubborn and selfish...you...you can't keep her away from me, understand that, I'm the doctor, she needs me."

"I can take care of her." He said, pulling her near him by the waist.

"How about Kate can take care of herself?" She snapped. "Stop acting like children, its disturbing. Aren't there more important things to worry about then me passing out? I'm FINE. Just a little dizzy. You two need to back off of each other. This situation isn't going to get any easier. But regardless, I'm having a baby and we need to come to grips with that. You two at eachothers throats doesn't help, and it doesn't make things any easier for me." She shook her head and started off to go see Claire. Jack tried to follow her but Hurley stopped him.

"Its a chick thing dude, I'd say leave her alone until the hormones die down or something."

Jack shook his head as he looked at Sawyer and then walked off.

Hurley looked at Sawyer. Sawyer looked back at him and said, "Fine situations I've gotten myself into, aye Chewy?" Before walking down to the shore.

Hurley, like Jack, shook his head at Sawyer eyeing Libby out of the corner of his eye and walking over to talk to her.

----------------------------------------------

Kate sat down next to Claire, tucking a wavy lock of hair behind her ear. She smiled gently at Aaron who was laying on his stomach on a blanket next to Claire.

"I keep thinking I'm dreaming...like any moment I'll wake up in the hatch or something and everything will be as it was." She looked down to her feet then back at Claire. "I never thought I'd ever be a Mom, or if I'd ever even get the chance to be a Mom..."

Claire smiled gently at her. "I didn't either." She said as she rested her hand on Kate's. "But things happen that you just can't change. Aaron gave me a whole new outlook...he's taught me so much about myself." Kate smiled back at her but the smile quickly faded. "But Sawyer...and Jack...things just aren't the same anymore...its so strange...I mean Sawyer said some things to me and held me in a such a way last night that I was overwhelmed with this feeling that things are going to workout and he can change and he'll open up...but then I see him arguing with Jack and being a jackass again and I keep telling myself to stop being stupid...And Jack, he looks at me now like I killed his dog...like a heartbroken little boy."

"If I can do it, I'm dead sure you can, Kate. I'm a single mother raising a baby on an island in the middle of nowhere. You're strong and I know that even though right now Jack's kinda a mess, he'll be there for you just as I will." Claire smiled wide as Kate smiled back at her. "Sawyer though...he's complicated. You never know what's going to happen with him. But you've got to worry about you and your baby. He has to make his own choices."

Kate nodded, agreeing with what Claire said.

"You should eat too." Claire said as Kate sipped the drink Sun made for her. Claire offered her a banana and Kate gagged.

"Thanks but no thanks." She said as Claire laughed. "I don't think I'll ever eat a banana again for the rest of my life." Claire handed her half a mango instead.

"Just try and eat as much as you can. The first few months are pretty bad...and then you get to the waddling, the achy back, sore legs...oh and labor...Good thing you witnessed mine firsthand, aye?"

Kate's eyes grew wide. "I hadn't even thought about that yet..."

"I'm not gonna candy coat anythin'," Claire started. "Pregnancy is bloody horrible at times...but then you feel the baby kick and when its born..." She smiled fondly at Aaron, who was kicking his legs wildly as he lifted up on his arms with a baby giggle. "Its so amazing to hold your baby in your arms. Its a feeling you just can't explain."

Kate take a deep breath squinting in the gentle sunlight. "Guess I've just got to think positive."

"Good On Ya." Claire said. "I know its hard being on an island, having a baby and..." She stopped before she got into Sawyer and Jack and said the wrong things. "Well, just remember you've always got Aaron and I."

"Thank You Claire." She put her hand to her stomach and jumped up. "Oh God...remind me not to eat Mango anymore either." And with that, she was off. 


	5. Chapter 5: Fears Aside

Time slowly passed and Kate's pregnancy quickly became something of the norm. People were used to her hormonal behavior, from the morning sickness to mood swings. Kate too, got used to her pregnancy and found herself enjoying it now and then, when she wasn't sick or miserable. Nothing seemed to sit well on her stomach, but some days her appetite was immense, but as soon as she did eat, it would quickly come up again. She often found herself weak and dizzy, so Jack would continuously sit her down and make her eat peanut butter to boost her iron. She generally kept the peanut butter down, but would gag at even the sight of it. Especially when he'd throw in bananas to boost her potassium intake.

Kate tried her hardest to simply live in the moment, trying to avoid any thoughts of her future with Sawyer, their future off the island and so on. Though sometimes the thoughts would invade her mind, she tried to shake them off as best she could. Quite often she'd get her mind on what would happen to her if they were rescued. She worried she'd watch her child grow from behind the bulletproof glass in prison, and that terrified her.

Sawyer was trying his hardest to adjust to the entire thing. He tried rather hard to avoid being an asshole around Kate and even bit his tongue around Jack, though he generally avoided him altogether. Any little altercation with him would set Kate's emotions off, so he tried to keep to himself, popping up now and then should Kate suddenly request his attention or need him. He too tried to avoid thinking about the future, what would he do if they were rescued, Kate went to prison and suddenly he was to raise the child as a single father? The idea scared the living shit out of him. They were both the last two people on the planet anywould would suspect to become parents, especially together. But Sawyer couldn't explain the feeling he got when he looked at Kate's stomach which was slowly becoming a round little bump. A little bump that neither could resist rubbing, wondering what the baby would look like, what they would name it, and so on.

"Looks like you swallowed a coconut now." Sawyer smirked as Kate walks towards him. She laid down on the beach towel near his feet, resting her arm over her eyes to shield them from the sun.

"I feel like I swallowed TWO coconuts."

"Seems like only yesterday this same conversation revolved around oranges."

"Wait until we're saying Watermelons." Kate smiled, nervously.

"Wait until we've moved on from fruit to tiny little person screaming in the middle of the night."

"You get the easy job," Kate laughed. "I get the birthing & feeding, and that's on top of being a human apartment for nine months. You get to stand around looking smug because you got laid."

"If I could have the baby, freckles, I would."

"Bullshit, you'd find some way to make someone else bear it for you. I don't know how it would be possible but knowing you...you'd find away."

"Doesn't seem too bad, so far." Sawyer said, setting down his book. Kate smacked him on the thigh.

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood otherwise I would have kicked you in the balls."

Sawyer chuckled. "What's the countdown to now?" He asked.

"According to Jack, I'm somewhere around 4 and a half to five months now. He thinks we may have a big baby though, due to our heights."

"Good, then he'll be the asskicker of baby island."

"HE?" Kate said, sitting up and looking at Sawyer. "I haven't heard you say SHE once."

"It's a boy. I know that for a fact, I wouldn't have a girl."

"Oh, okay then." Kate said, rolling her eyes. "You're as bad as Jin is." Sun was a few months farther a long then Kate, and Sun was getting closer and closer to having her baby. Kate couldn't believe how both their pregnancies were passing by. Sun told Kate if she felt up to it, she could be there when she delivered, but Kate reminded her of her own hands on experience delivering Aaron and exclaimed that was quite enough for her.

Sawyer handed Kate a water bottle. One thing he was good at was getting her to get enough liquids.

"Soon enough we've got to pick names." Kate said, taking a sip of the water.

"You mean we can't just call it Baby? Shucks."

Kate drank a little more water then splashed the bottle on Sawyer as she jumped up in sheer excitement, her hands quickly moving to her stomach. "Sawyer it KICKED!" She exclaimed.

Sawyer held his hand there for a few moments, but nothing happened. Kate thought for a second, then picked up the water bottle and drank some more. A few moments later, Sawyer felt a jolt beneath his hand. Kate's face lit up as she watched a huge smile form on Sawyer's face.

Both couldn't explain how the felt, there weren't words to describe it. Those sudden quick movements in Kate's belly filled them with such a love, but also a sense of reality. There really was a baby, and it was really going to be there soon, and though Kate had felt little flutters here and there in her stomach, this was the first time either of them could put a hand to her tummy and feel it. The baby kicked a few more times and the joy never left Sawyer's face.

"Tell me that's not a little boy." Sawyer beamed. "With a kick like that? A regular sandbox bully." Sawyer added, proudly.

Kate sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. He kept his hand on her stomach and she put her hand over his and they sat together in silence, breathing in the fresh air, and feeling the baby...THEIR baby kick. Momentarily, their fears were overcome by excitement and happiness, and they wanted nothing more then to be together, their little family. 


	6. Chapter 6: Moving Moments

Sawyer finished his book, removed his glasses and looked down at Kate, who had long since fallen asleep, her head resting in his lap, her hand still planted on her small belly. 

Charlie walked by, uttering "awwwwwww" rather sarcastically at Sawyer. Sawyer threw his book at Charlie who walked off in a fit of laughter. Sawyer gently ran his fingers through Kate's wavy locks of hair. She looked so at peace, so incredibly beautiful when she slept. The moon was nearly full, glowing bright in the night sky. Sawyer's eyes drifted to the bright stars surrounding it as Kate stirred in his lap, mumbling something in her sleep. His eyes shifted back do to her and he rested his hand over hers. He often wondered what she dreamed about, especially now...It seemed since she had been pregnant, she was often yelling or upset in her dreams, sometimes waking up in a fit of tears or nearly beating the crap out of Sawyer.

Tonight was no different...

To Kate they seemed so real, as if it was a glimpse into something yet to come...or looking back on the struggles of her past.

Sawyer often asked her what she dreamed about but she would never say, lately it was often the same thing...Her & her dream children, their faces and names so clear in front of her. Lilly Rose was her daughter in the dream, often yelling and angry at Kate, bringing up her father. The dreams grew longer every night. Now it seemed that Kate was divorcing Lilly's father, and the girl was furious, claiming her much younger sibling, known as Toby, a dark haired little boy, would join her in living with their father. They were in the kitchen of a small but nice little house. This time in the dream, Kate finally spoke up telling her daughter there was something she needed to know, and it had been killing her inside to keep it from her...but Jack wasn't really her father. Her father had taken off long ago, and never looked back.

Kate shot up from her sleep, tears streaming down her face. Sawyer held her face in his hands, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She threw her arms around him, trembling. She wanted to make him promise, promise he'd never leave. But anytime she ever even brought up the subject of their future together Sawyer never really said much. Instead, she held tight to the moment they were currently sharing, resting her head on his shoulder as he held her tightly.

She then looked up at him as he stared down at her, wondering what causes that pained look in her eyes. She kissed him, ever so gently, and he kissed her back passionately. And as they kissed it was as if the whole world stopped around them...at least until Jack walked up clearing his throat.

Kate nervously pulled away from Sawyer, who was more upset at Kate at that moment, then Jack. Though Jack interrupted, it was Kate's behavior that caused Sawyer to get up and walk away. He couldn't stand how she was afraid to completely let go and feel for Sawyer whenever Jack came around. Almost as if she was embrassed or afraid of hurting Jack's feelings. But there was nothing that could change the fact that she was carrying Sawyer's child.

Kate couldn't even look at Jack, who knew even apologizing wasn't the best idea at the moment.

"Just wanted to check up on you." Jack said, moving closer to Kate.

"I'm fine...just exhausted." Though she meant physically, she now felt emotionally exhausted as well. She drank some water before telling Jack about her sore muscles, aching back and constant urge to pee. Soon enough, the baby moved again and Kate grabbed Jack's hand and placed it on her stomach.

"Wow." Jack smiled. "Strong baby."

Kate smiled wide. "Its done it a few time today." She beamed.

"Right on track then, sounds like baby's developing at the proper rate." He said pushing on her stomach a bit. "This is where you thank me for forcing you to eat all that peanut butter."

"Ha, NO." Kate laughed.

"Try and get some sleep." Jack said, getting up. "I need to go do a quick check on Sun, she's been having some braxton hicks...at least I'm hoping its braxton hicks."

He gave Kate a gentle smile before walking off. Kate sighed, her mind racing back to Sawyer. She could tell his feelings were obviously hurt, but she knew he was talking shit on someone somewhere, making it look like he hadn't a care in the world. She wanted to let go of her fears, wanted to express her feelings freely, but then those pessimistic moments invaded her mind, and she'd think of herself in prison, as Sawyer abandoned their child, but she reminded herseld to live in the moment, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized that pushing Sawyer away wasn't the way to keep him. For all they knew, they could be on the island forever. But as much as it scared her to admit it, she loved Sawyer, and he needed to know.


	7. Chapter 7: Rekindling the Flame

Disclaimer: WARNING SEXUAL SITUATIONS IN THIS CHAPTER! There, you've been warned ;)

Kate walked the beach, asking everyone if they had seen Sawyer. No one had an answer that seemed to help in the least bit. She sighed, figuring it wasn't the best time to talk to him anyway. She went back to his shelter, where she had stayed rather often in the few months. She tried to lay down and get some rest, and even though she was utterly exhausted, she couldn't sleep. She just kept thinking about Sawyer, the way he made her heart flutter and how when they laid there together every night, something did feel right. But then there was Jack...she still saw that look in his eyes. The look she couldn't explain, but feel. She knew, deep in her heart how he felt, but everyday she fell more and more for Sawyer, and she was falling hard.

She thought back on that night, the night their baby was conceived. That night crossed both of their minds fairly often. And there were numerous times where they had to stop themselves from '"reenacting" it, but she wonder why they did stop themselves. She thought back on his kisses, the way his hands roamed her body that night. He could make her squirm and moan with a mere touch. It was as if their bodies were made for eachother, he touched every curve of her body as she kissed him with a passion like fire.

Her hormones overwhlmed her and she started to cry. She wiped her eyes as she heard a rustling outside. She closed her eyes and pretended to be sleeping. Sawyer soon enough slipped in, sighing as her saw her laying there. She was wearing a tank top that barely covered her growing stomach and some cargo pants that were also getting too small. The temperature was getting cooler so he grabbed a blanket and draped it over her.

She wanted to grab him and hold him tight, she wanted to kiss him with the same passion as before, but she was scared. Sawyer pulled off his shirt, then sat next to Kate. He sighed before laying down next to her, not even bothering to take any of the blanket for himself. He sat quietly in the darkness, thinking to himself. Kate sat up, suddenly, and softly said his name as she grabbed his hand, holding it tight. He too, sat up, barely making out the frame of her face in the dark.

"I'm sorry." She solemnly said.

"You don't need to say it." He replied.

"Yes I do, I can't do this, I can't play games and I can't...I can't let Jack get to me...I just...I'm terrified."

Sawyer touched her face gently. She was something truly special, the girl who amde him weak in the knees, the girl who made him want to give a shit about something for once.

He kissed her gently, as if to reassure her that he was there. But she didn't pull away, she wanted the moment to last as long as possible. She kissed him back firmly, pulling him as close to her body as she possibly could. She breathed in deeply, she smelled so sweet, her hair like silk as he ran his fingers through it. He pulled away and for a moment her heart stopped with anguish, until he began kissing her neck in a teasing fashion, his lips barely touching her skin. She squirmed a little, she wanted him and he knew it. He wanted to drive her wild, but then he stopped hismelf as he thought about the baby.

"We shouldn't..."

She knew exactly what he was trying to say, but she didn't want the moment to end. She wanted him, she needed him and she thought on it for a moment, she had known people that were pregnant and as far as she knew, she wasn't doing any harm. Besides, her hormones were so overwhelming, she couldn't stop herself as she kissed him again. He couldn't resist the temptation, his fears soon sibsided as he slowly pulled off her shirt. His hand running down the soft skin of her sides and down to her pants, unbuttoning them and quickly pulling them off of her.

Within moments, they found themselves in the exact situation that led them here...but this time, there was no alcohol involved, it was, raw, pure emotion. This wasn't casual sex, this was making love and when they fell asleep in each others arms, things felt right again, in place...whole.

---------------------------------------------

"Please Claire...ask him." Kate begged.

"Oi, why me? Seriously, I can tell he's annoyed enough of me. You ask him." Claire replied as she changed Aaron's diaper.

"Because It'll crush him if I ask him."

"I'm not getting in the middle of YOUR love triangle."

"Its not a Love triangle...its two guys infatuated with me...and me infatuated with one but..." Claire raised her eyebrow at her. "...Oh come on do this to me."

"Isn't it going to look strange that I'm the not pregnant one asking if its safe to have sex while you're pregnant. I already told you you're fine."

"...but the cramping."

"Its normal! It'll go away, especially if you DON'T have anymore sex." Claire said, giving a mishcheivious grin.

Claire looked at Kate's worried eyes and sighed. "Oh God, FINE."

Kate smiled, as Claire made her way to Jack who was pressing Sun's stomach, deep in thought.

"Uhm...Jack?" Claire asked.

Jack waitied for her to unravel her extensive list of random symptoms affecting Aaron.

"I'm just curious about something..."

Jack reached out to take Aaron, but Claire shook her head. "No No, he's fine." She smiled, "Its a random question really, I'm just wondering...if you have sex when you're pregnant... it doesn't do anything right?"

"You're not pregnant, are you?" Jack asked, eye wide. He peered behind her at Locke who was standing down by Kate, making small talk.

"NOOOO. NOOOOO." Claire replied. "I was just curious if it was...uhm...If it had any effect on...Oh forget it. Kate made me ask, she said she's cramping."

"Bad?"

Claire shrugged, "Bad enough that she's complaing, and rather paranoid."

Jack excused himself from Sun and walked down to Kate.

"How long have you been cramping?" Jack asked, as he walked towards Kate.

Kate shot Claire a look, then shook her head.

"Its been on and off since I..."

"I'm pretty sure you're okay, but I would be careful. Since you misscarried..." As he said this, Kate's eyes darkened with a familiar sadness, the sandess that had somewhat dissapeared when she found out she was still pregnant with the baby she now carried. She didn't talk much about misscarrying the twin, because it made her feel like an awful person, like she did something wrong. "...the other baby." Jack slowly finished. "I'm not going to say No yet, but if the cramping continues, I may need to give you an internal exam." Kate nodded and Jack turned and walked back over to Sun.

"Yeah, Sawyer will LOVE that." Kate mumbled.

"Was that so hard?" Claire asked.

"Remind me to kill you when I'm not pregnant, okay?" Kate smirked, sitting in the sand with Claire and Aaron, sharing a Papaya with her.


	8. Chapter 8: Lunar Labors

It was a rainy, solemn day on the island. Everyone was huddled in their shelters trying to keep warm, and a few had gone down to the Hatch as well. Jack wanted to make sure Kate and Sun were out of the cold and in the Hatch, even if it meant that Sawyer had to come along. Claire and Aaron were brought down by Locke which lead to snickers here and there from the beach camp.

Kate and Sawyer sat together, playing Go Fish. Though sawyer begged to play Strip Go Fish, Kate didn't give in. Though prizes were yet to be determined, Sawyer had a few ideas in mind. Kate knew he'd want his prize to be something sexual, yet all she wanted was something to eat other then goldfish crackers, peanut butter ANYTHING, fruit, or any of the usual. She knew she didn't have much of a choice though, so her prize would be rather hopeless. Canned processed things just weren't up her alley either. Strangely enough, everything she craved was meat. And being a vegetarian, she wasn't about to give into the cravings.

Jack was monitoring Sun rather closely, she could go into labor at anytime. Her small frame worried him. He worried she may need a C-section and he didn't think there was anyway he could so safely, the risk of infection was far too high. He checked her stomach every day to make sure the baby was in the right position. Sun and Jin thought long and hard about names for their precious baby, and finally decided on Chin-Mae for a boy and Ki Min for a little girl.

Claire sat, watching Sawyer and Kate play their game, baby Aaron on a blanket next to her, rocking back and forth on his knees. He was just beginning to crawl, which left Claire very anxious. It only reminded her that soon he would be walking, and she would need some way to keep him safe and contained. Aaron giggled at Sawyer, since he was rather little Sawyer enthralled him. And as much as he never wanted to admit it, Sawyer got a kick out of it, especially now. It made him feel comfortable knowing that every baby and little kid that came into his presence didn't flip out.

"I know I ask this ALL the time but...have you picked a name yet?" Claire asked.

"I've made many suggestions." Kate stated. "But Sawyer here doesn't think anything fits. Aside from Hank & Garth and I only said those jokingly."

Sawyer beamed, "I rather like a could country boy name."

"I haven't even suggested girls names because he SWEARS its a boy."

"Well, what do you think?" Claire asked, grabbing Aaron and holding him in her lap before he could crawl off.

"I have a good felling it's a girl."

"Then it is."

"Why do you say that?"

"Maternal instinct. Most of the time, its right. I always had a feeling Aaron was a boy." She smiled, kissing the top of his head.

"Oh, I don't believe in all that." Sawyer stated.

"Why because you might...brace yourself...be wrong?" Kate smirked.

"Let's bet on it."

"Sawyer, we're not betting on the sex of our child, that just doesn't seem..."

"I bet its a girl," Claire exclaimed, before Kate could finish. "And if I win you have to baby-sit Aaron an entire day."

"You're shittin' me, right?" He peered down at Aaron who was slobbering on a couple cards from Jack's win pile. "All right Mamacita, if I win, and its a boy, you gotta show me your tits."

"SAWYER!" Kate exclaimed, whacking him in the arm.

"What!" He exclaimed. "There's not much else she's got to offer, except maybe some diapers...but what do I want with diapers?"

Kate raised her eyebrows.

"Okay yeah, flash me and then give me some of Aaron's old diapers for Junior in there." He said pointing to Kate's stomach.

"Deal." Claire said, as the two shook on it. Kate shook her head at both of them.

"I just hope you end up winning this, I'd love to see him take care of TWO babies."

Sawyer's eyes widened. Aaron couldn't be THAT hard at this point. Sawyer would just need to let him crawl around until he passed out and feed him mashed up fruit when he got hungry. He'd save any diaper surprises for the return back to Claire anyway.

"Did you forget the only way we're finding out is when the baby is born right?" Kate asked, "And you sure as hell better not even think that you're getting away with not doing anything. You participated in the deed now you gotta serve the time." Kate laughed.

Sawyer leaned forward talking into Kate's stomach. "For the love of strippers, kid, be on the boys team."

-------------------------------------------------

"Babies, babies everywhere..." Hurley trailed off. The rain has since stopped hours ago, and night sky was bright under a huge, full moon and tons of bright stars sprinkled throughout the sky.

"I happen to like babies." Libby beamed.

"Ha! Don't you get any ideas." Hurley began. "Kids are cute and all, I like being an uncle...I mean, you can load them up on sugar and send them home. But the diapers, AM feedings? I need my sleep. Its hard enough having Aaron around, at least he sleeps through the night...but then Jin & Sun will have theirs, and just when that ones sleeping through the night, here comes Sawyer and Kate's kid...and man, that kids gonna be the kid everyone avoids on the playground."

Libby laughed loudly, which caused Hurley to smile.

"Seriously, I bet you the other two will be running from that little dude." Hurley chuckled, "Kate and Sawyer are a lethal combination. That kids gonna be a tree climbing ass kicking little trader. You want baby powder gotta go through mini sawyerkate."

Libby was staring off watching Sawyer and Kate together, sitting outside the shelter they basically shared, Sawyer affectionately rubbing and talking to Kate's tummy.

"You're still in baby la-la land, aren't you?" He asked, waving a hand in front of Libby's face.

"Its sweet, really." Libby said, motioning to Sawyer and Kate. "Since I've met them, I don't think I've seen either so...happy."

"Its kinda of scary, really." Hurley pointed out. "Its scary when sawyer comes up to you, pats you on the back, asks how you are and DOESN'T add in a nickname."

"Babies make or break people." She turned and faced Hurley, "I think much to all of our surprise, Sawyer's actually doing an okay job."

"Yeah that's until the baby comes and he has to change diapers and figure out why its screaming bloody murder at 3 am."

Libby shot him a look. "Remind me not to reproduce with you."

"Hey, I Like Kids...OTHER peoples kids..." He laughed and wrapped his arm around Libby, pulling her close. She laughed too as she kissed his cheek before leaning her head on his shoulders, her eyes glancing up to stare at the moon.

"You know they always say there's something about a full moon and the lunar cycles that works with a woman's body...and obstetricians have said they've seen double the intake of pregnant women about to give birth on full moons." She said, matter of factly.

Hurley pointed off into the distance. "I think they may be right." He replied, watching Jin & Sun emerge from their shelter, Sun grabbing her stomach in pain.


	9. Chapter 9: Mistakes

Kate paced in the sand near Sawyers hut, a nervous feeling invading her stomach.

"Sit down, Freckles, have a breather." Sawyer said, patting the seat next to him. She shook her head. She just wanted to know that Sun was okay, she knew labors weren't the easiest thing, but Claire's labor went much faster then this. Dread overwhelmed her, she was scared...terrified something had happened. Jack didn't want anyone in the Hatch except those who needed to be there. Ana Lucia tried to weasel her way in but was quickly shot down. Locke went with Jack, and of course Jin had to be there. But other then that, Jack didn't want anyone around. Sun wouldn't have minded Kate being there, they were very close. But Kate wasn't exactly sure she could handle seeing another Labor at this point, Claire's was plenty to help her understand the whole thing. Besides, seeing another labor would just scare her into keeping her legs closed and never having the baby.

Finally Jack emerged, walking towards Kate. Half the camp stood, waiting for him to speak.

"Mom and Baby are fine." Jack smiled. "Everything went fantastic."

Kate smiled wide, then gave Jack a hug. Sawyer rolled his eyes.

"Its a little girl."

"SHIT!" Hurley exclaimed.

"Pay Up, Paco." Sawyer beamed. "Guess I'll be eatin those chocolate bars after all." He added.

Libby gave Hurley a smirk. "Yes, you can gloat about me not winning. Now I can't screw up my diet, blah blah blah." Hurley sulked as Sawyer pointed to a pile of clothes.

"Better start scrubbin' now, muttenchops. Some of those shirts I haven't washed since we been here."

"Fuck dude, that's sick." Hurley said, collecting the clothes.

"Betting on Babies?" Jack laughed.

"I know, something about it doesn't seem right. He's already got one going on ours." Kate stated, shaking her head at Sawyer.

"See, its a pattern, Boy...Girl...then Boy. Ours is a boy. I just know it." Sawyer said, giving a toothy grin. He bit into the chocolate bar in his left hand and gave an exaggerated "Mmmm" in Hurley's direction.

"Ass." Hurley muttered.

"Did you want to come see the baby?" Jack asked Kate. She nodded with a wide smile.

Jack motioned for her to follow then resting a hand on her shoulder to guide her along.

"Hey Doc," Sawyer yelled, Jack turned to face him. "Keep your hands off the merchandise."

Kate rolled her eyes and grabbed Jack's hand, dragging him along.

"He's playing big bad boar, you know, gotta fight off any males that interfere with his breeding." Kate muttered. It got rather embrassing at times, and didn't comfort her decisions to stay with Sawyer either. Though he wasn't as much of an asshole to Jack at Kate's wishes, he'd still let it slip every now and then.

Jack sighed and panned his mind for the right thing to say. "You sure you're doing the right thing?" He finally asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked, raising her eyebrows. There were a few ways this could be heading. "Look, there aren't exactly abortion clinics in the jungle Jack." She snapped back.

"Kate, No, that's not what I meant." He apologized. She lowered her guard a little. "I mean...Sawyer."

Kate didn't even bother to respond.

"Look, just because you're having his child doesn't mean you need to be in a relationship with him. You're a strong woman, Kate, you don't have to do what you don't want to."

Kate knew exactly where this was heading. "Jack, I've made my choices and yes, I'm happy with them."

"Are you really happy though, Kate?"

She could tell him to fuck off, anger being her defense, but she let her guard down and the question he asked echoed through her mind.

"I...I don't know."

A part of her just wanted to dive into his arms, that very moment. But most of her longed for her happily ever after with Sawyer, even if she was terrified of it not coming true.

Jack stopped and reached for her hand, holding it in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. She felt comforted by his presence.

"I just want what's right..."

"You should want what's best for you, for you and your baby."

Confusion overwhelmed her. She loved Sawyer, she KNEW she did! Or did she? Was she fooling herself?

Rational thought evaded her as suddenly her lips were touching Jack's. They lingered there for a while, and though they both were a bit overwhelmed at the rash action. They gave in, giving a long passionate kiss.

"Jack...I..."

But before she could finish, Sawyer emerged from the shadows.


	10. Chapter 10: Coming to Grips

Sawyer didn't even bother to speak, bother to scream an insult before he dove at Jack, knocking him to the moist earth as he plowed into his gut. He repeatedly drove Jack's head into the ground as Kate screamed.

"Sawyer, STOP." She screamed, tears streaming down her face. "PLEASE."

He words didn't even penetrate his mind. Jack finally got a good grip on Sawyer and rolled him over, pinning him down and socking him square in the jaw.

Kate tried to pull Jack off of Sawyer but with a quick raising of his elbow, Jack paying not attention to Kate, knocked her back causing her to loose her footing and fall to the ground. Hurley and Charlie finally emerged, Charlie and Hurley both having to pull Jack off of Sawyer as Libby ran up, comforting Kate.

"You ain't even halfway to the Hatch and you're already sneakin' smooches, Doc?"

Sawyer spit at Jack, his saliva bright red from his bleeding mouth.

Sawyer's fierce eyes turned to Kate, who was sobbing in Libby's arms.

"You're a lyin' whore." He screamed. "You tell me you love me an' you make be BELIEVE it." His voice cracked, and pushed away from Hurley, who was trying to hold him back.

"I see how it is. You have your white house, you have your picket fence and you have your doctor. You let that baby grow up in a lie, you take that baby from it's Daddy." Sawyer said, before walking off into the jungle. Kate swore she could hear him sobbing too as he walked off.

Charlie was about to follow but Hurley grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. "This is a battle I don't recommend walking into." He whispered as Jack kneeled before Kate apologizing. She pulled her face away from his hand and he tried to wipe her tears. She stood up, breaking from Libby's warm grasp, and started running as fast as she could.

"Kate!" Jack exclaimed, taking off after her.

Libby, Charlie and Hurley all stood in silence before Hurley finally mumbled.

"And this...is the Days of Our Lives."

------------------------------------------

"Kate! Come On, STOP." Jack managed to yell, as he ran as fast as he could after her. For a pregnant woman, she could run like the wind.

Kate finally stopped. She would run forever if she could. It was one thing she was good at, taking off when the situation got to much for her to handle...she ran and ran even if it was just to avoid heartbreak.

He felt incredibly dizzy, but he was running of raw emotion, running of the pure adrenaline from his fight with Sawyer.

"Why Jack?" She said between sobs. She caught her breath, but couldn't stop the tears. "Why did this happen to me? Why did whatever fucking divine force is out there pick me to be a mother? I can't do this Jack. I don't deserve this, I don't deserve this baby."

Jack grabbed her and pulled her close to him as a misty rain began to fall. She sobbed into his chest and he held her tightly in his arms. There was nothing at all he could say to make the situation any better.

-------------------------------------------

"MotherFUCKER." Sawyer screamed. kicking anything and everything her could out of his path.

He finally threw himself down and buried his face in huis hands. This wasn't happening, not here, not now. Karma was getting back at him, for every person he fucked over, it all hit him back again. But it wasn't fair, everything that he did wasn't nearly as bad as what happened to him as a young boy. He wanted his chance to turn it all around, he wanted to raise his child and he wanted to be a good father. But it didn't work that way, the bad guy never got his chance in the movies, and thus it seemed, was Sawyer's case as well.

He always thought she was different, always though she understood. He opened himself up to her only to get slapped in the face. He fell for her, and he fell hard.

I never should have cared. I never should have stepped up, never should have taken responsibility. He thought to himself. Jack wanted him to fail, he wanted him to fuck up so Kate would come running to him, his arms wide open, ready and accepting. He couldn't stand to picture an overjoyed Jack holding HIS baby in his arms, but it was clear Kate made her choice. He couldn't forgive her now. She had lied before, and she could do it many times again.

----------------

"Shit, what happened?" Ana Lucia said, concerned eyes looking Jack up and down. She didn't even bother to survey Kate, she couldn't care less. She often wished Kate would just fall off the face of the earth and do everyone a favor...well, at least Ana Lucia a favor.

Jack didn't even bother to reply. Instead he guided Kate to the couch, sitting her down. Ana Lucia finally looked at her, she was soaked, covered in Jack's blood, her eyes red and puffy from crying.

Ana Lucia didn't even HAVE to ask anymore. She knew this had something to do with Sawyer.

"Nothing." Jack said. His head was throbbing, his entire body ached, he felt naseated, but all he wanted to know was that Kate was okay, He felt her stomach contracting, and he was terrified.

"Sure as hell doesn't look like nothing."

"Look, Ana Lucia, just shut up." Jack snapped. "I don't need to worry or scare Jin & Sun right now."

They were in the bedroom, Sun sleeping peacefully with their newborn daughter and Jin watching them, smiling wide.

Ana Lucia stepped back, obviously pissed off. She didn't bother to say anything, she just stormed off.

"You need to keep calm, Kate." Jack said, his vision was getting blurry but he still couldn't leave her like this.

She cried out in pain.

"Kate there is no way this baby will survive if you have it now."

Kate winced at the pain shooting in her abdomen.

"You need to keep calm."

He remembered Claire in a similar situation back when they first crashed on the island. He hoped, like Claire, it was only the stress of the situation and not actual labor.

He helped her breath, wiped the sweat from her forehead and held her hand tightly. But the dizziness he was experiencing soon got the best of him, and he passed out.

--------------------------

"Kate!" Jack yelled, shooting up and looking around the room. Ana Lucia stood in front of him.

"She's fine." Ana Lucia said, handing him a glass of water.

Kate emerged from the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel. Her eyes widened as she saw Jack sitting there.

"Now you gonna tell me what happened?"

Jack sighed.

"Didn't think so, good thing Kate filled me in." Ana said as Jack took the glass from her and gulped down the water. "Sounds like you have a concussion." She added.

"Thought I was the doctor." Jack replied.

Kate came and sat next to Jack who smiled as he surveyed her, seeing she was alright.

"They stopped, obviously. They went from 5 minutes, to 8, then finally just scattered."

"How long have I been out of it?"

"Couple Hours." Ana said, taking his empty glass from him and walking off to the sink.

"Gave me a good scare, Jack." She said, looking into his emotion filled eyes then down to her feet. "At least I know Ana Lucia's good for something." She whispered.

Jack couldn't help but laugh a little, even if it hurt like hell to do ANYTHING.

"What am I going to do, Jack?" Kate asked, her wide eyes filing with tears.

"I'll take care of you." He said, gently touching her cheek.

Kate pulled away. She loved Sawyer, she knew she did. But her fears were once again stopping her from letting go. She knew Jack could deliver he dreams on a silver platter, knew Jack would never leave her. But Sawyer knew her better then any one on the island, and vice versa. She could look in Sawyer's eyes and feel special, but even though she could see Jack felt for her in his eyes, she didn't feel quite so special looking at him.

But she knew she screwed up, she knew Sawyer wouldn't accept this, not after they had finally opened up and let go.

She looked at Jack and then threw herself into his arms. She screwed up, and now she needed to live with her mistake.


	11. Chapter 11: Begging and Fighting

The next few days, Jack tried his hardest to keep Kate from the beach, and far from Sawyer. She knew eventually she would need to talk to him, but she didn't know how.

All Sawyer knew, was that if Jack said one word to him, he'd rip his tongue out and feed it to Vincent.

Kate made herself busy by helping Sun with her daughter, Ki Min when she could, and walking with Jack to work on Sun's garden as well.

Ana Lucia was being far too friendly for Kate's liking. It bothered her and she had a feeling Ana Lucia was up to something, but couldn't be bothered trying to figure out what exactly it was. She still harbored resentment towards Ana for the fight they had goten in months earlier, the fight which Kate believed was the reason she miscarried the other baby.

Months Earlier...

Kate stopped, took a deep breath and forced herself to go on. She didn't like her new, weakened state, this pregnancy made her feel miserable, and she didn't want to look unreliable on this exploration with Jack, Ana Lucia and Locke. She had begged to come along, claiming it was good for her and Jack had no idea why he even let her go in the first place.

"Can't keep up?" Ana asked, turning and giving Kate a smirk. She was getting a kick out of seeing Kate like this, especially because she knew how the whole pregnancy hurt Jack, and gave Ana the edge over her in just about everything...including romantically.

"I'm fine." Kate growled back.

"Obviously somebody should have kept her legs closed." Ana said, under her breath, but loud enough that Kate could still hear.

Kate had already had enough, and as shitty as she felt, she still grabbed Ana Lucia by the hair and pushed her down into the dirt.

Ana was shocked, but of course had to retaliate.

She grabbed Kate's arm and flung her down into the dirt next to her. Jack and Locke ran over, trying to separate the girls. Kate threw a rough punch into Ana's jaw, and Ana pinned her down, kneeing her hard in the stomach.

Kate cried out in pain as Jack and Locke pulled Ana off of her. Kate curled up into a ball, holding her stomach and moaning in pain.

"Shit." was all Ana Lucia could say. She wasn't thinking, the adrenaline of the moment had got the best of her.

Jack shook his head, casting her an angry look as he picked Kate up, running her off to the Hatch.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Sawyer didn't want to be bothered by anyone, or anything. Well, except Vincent. He'd share his food and give him a good rub down anytime the dog came by. Otherwise he'd stick a middle finger up to any passerby and angrily smirk at them.

Charlie however, wasn't persuaded by his return to the asshole act.

"Guess you're a proud new member of the reject club, eh?"

"You gotta put it that way, Chuck?" He gave Charlie a strange look as Charlie sat next to him. "Not like I'm stealin' my girls baby or anythin'"

Charlie didn't even dignify the comment when a response.

"The conman got conned. Fitting." Sawyer mumbled.

"I haven't seen Kate and Jack around much." Charlie finally said.

"She ain't got no reason to be around. Now that she's got good ole' superDoc there to take care of her." Sawyer took a swig of the water by his side. "And Doc's just a pussy. He knows he shows his face around me, he wont go back with anythin' worth lookin' at."

"Hostile." Charlie mumbled.

"Yeah Bub, like your fist ain't clenchin' right now lookin' at good old Locke over there talkin' to the little lady." Sawyer said, motioning to a smiling Claire, talking to Locke in the distance.

"It doesn't bother you? He's Old! And bloody strange!"

"Don't bother me enough to get me to stop thinkin' about Kate." He sighed. "I'm hopin' the kid will be born with a scalpel, grinin' like Jack so I know I have no attachment."

"I don't think you'll get that lucky." Charlie replied.

Sawyer shrugged.

---------------------------------------------------------

"Kate?"

She rolled over on the small bed, feeling Jack breathing against her neck behind her.

"Kate?" His whispered again. She forced her eyes to open, almost thankful he woke her when he did.

"Yea?" She finally replied.

"You were having a nightmare."

It was typical, she had them every night now. Dreams that made her question he decisions every damned day. She dreamed about the same young girl every day, she dreamed about her children and their severe hatred for her and her decisions.

"You all right?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, I...I'm fine." She stood up, stretch a little bit and started out the door. "I'm uh...I'm going to go to the bathroom."

She was actually surprised Jack didn't get out of bad and busy himself in the kitchen or something to he could somewhat keep an eye on her. Instead he rolled over and fell back asleep. She quickly put her shoes on and started off through the jungle. It was a humid night and quickly peeled off her overshirt. The hatch was always either much cooler or much warmer then the jungle, so she was slightly over dressed.

She made her was to the beach where it was quiet except for a few whispers here and there and some snoring.

She could hear Sun humming to Ki Min. Tonight was their first night back at the beach, as Jack and Kate took their place in the bunk.

She made her way to Sawyer's shelter. She listened for a second before letting herself in. He was sound asleep, in nothing but boxers. He heart skipped a beat as she watched him sleep. She missed him, and the last few days without him weren't sitting well on her shoulders. Jack's constant hovering was getting to her, she needed her space, her freedom, and the only way she could escape was to sneak out as he slept.

"Shit." Sawyer yelped as he turned to see a figure looming over him. When his eyes focused on Kate, he wanted to smile, seeing her beautiful, pregnant belly and gorgeous face. Instead he decided to come up with a smart ass remark.

"Better head on home, freckles, don't want the search party swarmin' cuz you got a little saucy."

Kate rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Sawyer."

"Sorry, I ain't currently acceptin'' apologizes. Make a mornin appointment and come grovel a bit. I still wont be in an acceptin' mood but watchin' you beg might make me feel better."

"Sawyer you're such an ass." Kate growled.

"I'm an ass? AM I?" He shot back as he sat up. "I wasn't the one kissin' on anyone else. I didn't run away and HIDE when the situation got a little tough."

"You DIDN'T Hide?" Kate scoffed. "I haven't seen you come around and try to say anything to me!"

"Freckles you know exactly where I'm gonna be. Right here. 'sides, I'd say its not a good idea for me to see Doctor Do Right anytime soon." He looked up at her and as much as it hurt him to make her go, letting her stay wasn't good on the emotions either. "Now, I'm tryin' to sleep. You got somethin' important to say? Say it now, otherwise, goodnight." He said, laying down and rolling over onto his side.

Kate sighed and left the shelter.

She started to cry as she made her way back to the Hatch. Who knew a simple kiss could lead to so much pain? She dried her eyes as best she could before she returned to the Hatch. She walked into the bunks only to find Jack wasn't there.

She looked around the Hatch, and Jack emerged from the bathroom.

"Where'd you go?" He asked. She was relieved her didn't come after her.

"Just went outside, I felt a little sick so I got some fresh air."

Jack nodded, though he didn't believe her, he didn't want to start anything. She had enough stress to death with.

"Midnight snack?" Jack asked her, as grabbed a box of goldfish crackers and poured them into a small bowl.

Kate smiled, and rubbed her belly. When DIDN'T she want a snack at this point? He poured her a glass of water too and motioned for her to follow him to sit at the table with him.

She followed and sat across from him, he smiled as he watched her eat.

"What?" She asked with a sly smile.

"You're beautiful." He said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

She felt uncomfortable, but still smiled at him. She knew, in her heart this wasn't right. She wondered if Jack knew it too, but ignored his conscience for once because of how strongly he felt for her. Even with Jack sitting before her, Kate never felt so alone in her life.


	12. Chapter 12: Love Hurts

Sawyer wasn't surprised when Kate didn't ever show up to grovel. He didn't expect it. He knew her well enough to know that she'd rather run and hide then face was bugging her majority of the time. She lived in her own happily little world sometimes where she pretended everything was fantastic. Sawyer wished he could pretend too, wished he could just imagine he never loved her, but it killed him inside even to hear her name.

Kate finally made her way back into the beach society a few weeks later, but everyone she went, Jack was soon to follow.

"He's like the bloody Messiah of Mystery Island...Look at him, guide his flock, soon enough he'll turn water in to wine. Look at them grovel before him...Oh Jack, treat my heartrash! I'm a bloody rockstar, no one groveling. " Charlie muttered, he had taken in quite a bit of Sawyer's resentment towards Jack. Sawyer shot him a look like his head just fell off in front of him.

"How much happy plant you been eatin' there, Ozzy?"

Charlie gave him a serious look. "Low blow there, man. Low blow."

Sawyer didn't bother to apologize. Charlie knew Sawyer didn't like talking about Kate and Jack, unless he brought it up himself.

"He just likes playin guard dog to make sure I don't come around." Sawyer finally said. He knew Charlie felt him, he had the same exact problem when it came to Claire, Locke.

What pissed Sawyer off most was that Kate wouldn't even look at him. He wondered if he'd ever even get a peek at his kid the way things were going. She and Jack both avoided Sawyer like the plague, and Sawyer just didn't want to go through the emotional stress of doing something about it.

Ana Lucia strutted over, catching no attention from Jack. Which was fine, she preferred it that way when it came to running and squealing to Sawyer.

"Why hello, Mi Corazon..." Sawyer began, he knew the more he filled Ana's ego, the more she'd spill. "Who's been kissin' behind the locker room?"

That's exactly what this whole thing felt like, high school. Or at least what Sawyer imagined High School might feel like.

Ana Lucia made herself comfortable between Charlie and Sawyer before speaking, "There's nothing going on. Jack just said Kate's around seven, seven and a half months, he's constantly telling her how much he cares about her..." Ana Lucia rolled her eyes. "Its really fucking annoying."

"Yeah, I didn't rent Love Story here, Hun. Where's the good shit, the Die Hard with a Vengeance?"

"Love Story, eh?" Charlie laughed.

"Some girl I was screwin' made me watch it."

"Sure." Charlie muttered, stifling his laughter as Sawyer made a fist at him.

"She doesn't say much back, if it means anything." Ana Lucia said, referring back to Jack and Kate.

"No, it doesn't." Sawyer said, angrily. He eyed Kate in the distance sweetly stroking the mass of hair baby Ki Min had. His heart ached to watch her, as she took the baby in her arms and cradled it. Her maternal instincts were kicking in and he had never seen more beautifuyl then this, pregnant, glowing and holding a brand new life.

Ana Lucia took notice of the direction of his gaze and spoke up.

"She was talking about you the other day." She began, Sawyer turning to look at her. "With Claire."

He desperately wanted to know what was said, but a part of him said, it just wasn't worth it.

"Lovely." Sawyer muttered. He stood, gave a little stretch and started into his shelter.

"She said she still loves you." Ana said, as he slipped inside.

Sawyer fell to his knees as her heard those words. He socked the ground over and over again. He wanted nothing more then to cry out for her, he wanted nothing more then to have ehr in his arms. He wanted to cry his eyes out, but he knew that was the pussy thing to do. It never hurt like this before...he had been with so many women, yet it was never like this.

He never believed in true love until he met Kate.


	13. Chapter 13: What's in a Name?

Kate was 8 months pregnant before her actions finally got to her, she just couldn't take it anymore. She had tried several times to muster up the courage to talk to Sawyer again, but she just couldn't do it. And avoiding him on an island where secrets traveled faster like fire wasn't easy at all.

She sat in the hatch one early morning, waiting for Jack to finish his shift.

"I decided on a name." She smiled, as Jack entered the kitchen where she was eating the dharma initiative version of Cheerio's.

"Really?" Jack asked, curious.

Kate nodded. "Lily Rose."

"Beautiful." Jack smiled. "That the same if its a boy?"

Kate laughed, "Its not a boy."

"You know, I'd have patients all the time tell me a persons instinct is better then science...sometimes they were right."

He sat next to her, gently touching her hand, that was resting on the table.

"Jack...we need to talk."

The look in her eyes gave him an uneasy feeling.

She looked in his eyes and saw the raw emotion, the love her felt for her, and quickly changed her mind. She wasn't ready yet. "I was just wondering um...how is this whole labor going to work? Where am I having the baby?"

Jack's tension ceased with the words she spoke. He smiled a little. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you. You'll have it here of course, Its easiest to get pillows and blankets and just deliver on the floor, its too cramped in the bunks. Sun walked around a bit, it was easier for her that way...It's whatever you want honestly." He squeezed her hand a little.

She was barely paying attention as he spoke. All she could think about was Sawyer.

----------------------------------------

"Lily Rose." Ana Lucia said as she walked towards Sawyer the following morning.

Sawyer's face went white.

"What did you say?" He growled. Ana Lucia was a bit taken aback.

"I heard Kate talking to Claire. She said that's the name she picked if it IS a girl."

Sawyer didn't even bother to reply. He stood up and walked down the shore, Kate was alone, "sinking" in the sand.

"You got some nerve, freckles." He said, startling her.

"What now, Sawyer?"

"Lily Rose, eh?"

She didn't even bother to ask who told him, she didn't need to guess either, she was positive it was Ana Lucia.

"Is there a problem with that name?" Kate asked, an angered tone in her voice.

"Yeah, problem is I never told anyone, especially you that name."

"And?"

"You been snoopin' around, listening to me in my sleep, stalkin' me? I wanna know where you got that name."

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Sawyer?" This wasn't exactly the way she hoped they'd start talking again. "I had a dream, all right? I had a dream, about my daughter, and her name was Lily Rose. Is that okay, do you need a detailed version? Do I have to draw it out for you?" Kate turned to walk away. She didn't need this, not now.

"I was six years old when Lily Rose died." Sawyer quietly said. Kate felt as if her heart stopped when she heard those words. She turned to face him, his eyes filled with sorrow. "She was beautiful, long, blonde hair and these big huge blue eyes. She didn't live to far from me, and always hung out like she was one of the boys. She'd be wearin' jeans her hair up in a ponytail and she'd go catch frogs with us and climb trees. We were young and naive but we said one day we were gonna get married in this little ol' church down the road, and she was gonna be a horse trainer and I was gonna be a cowboy and things were going to be wonderful. Then one mornin' she never came to play. I waited, and waited cuz Jackie Taylor down the road said he went out early that mornin' and caught 4 frogs and I knew Lilly Rose would love it. Her aunt came by that night and told me, Lily Rose had gone to heaven. She said it so Nice, like nothing had happened, like it was okay. My best friend was dead, her drunk daddy lost control of his pickup and she wasn't wearin her seatbelt...and he aunt came in talkin' about angels and heaven..." Sawyer's life was complicated, full of shadows and secrets, but in that moment, Kate saw him for who he really was. He sighed before continuing. "Everytime I see you, I think, if she had ever grown up...she'd be just like you."

He swallowed back the pain he felt and said, "You can't have that name, that's my name. I always said, much as I never planned on havin' kids. I'd name my daughter that. You wanna run off with Jack, you don't name that baby Lily Rose. You name that baby after Jack's great Grandma Esther, you name is after his aunt Sally, but you don't name it Lily Rose."

He turned and walked back up the beach, leaving Kate speechless. And in the moments she watched him walk away, she made her final decision. She listened to her heart.


	14. Chapter 14: The Decision

"Jack?" Kate called out, nervously. She swallowed hard, her body trembling. She NEEDED to do this, she couldn't play games anymore. She couldn't take it anymore, the hurt she felt deep inside, the confusion, she need to do what her heart told her, she couldn't run anymore. It wasn't just about herself anymore, it was about her baby...and it was about Sawyer.

"Yeah?" Jack said, walking out of the Hatch bathroom in just his pants, drying his head and neck with a towel.

He could sense the tension on the air.

"What's wrong?" He asked, walking towards her.

"We...we really need to talk."

They had been in this situation before, Kate nervously eyeing him as she trembled a little.

"I...I made a decision tonight."

He hoped it was something simple, something about her labor, something about baby names, but when he saw the seriousness in her eyes, he knew it wasn't anything simple.

She thought about Sawyer, her eyes to the floor. "I'm a complicated girl." She said. She looked back up at Jack. "And Sawyer's a complicated guy."

Jack's heart beat fast, he knew where this was going.

"And I Love him, Jack."

Jack took a deep breath, he always had a feeling it would turn out like this.

"I don't wanna be scared anymore, Jack. I've run for too long, I run from whoever gets too close. Soon enough, I'd just run from you too. Sawyer...Sawyer and I have something special, something I can't explain in words. And I'm sorry Jack, I'm sorry to do this to you. But Sawyer can't prove anything to me if I don't give him a chance."

Jack nodded slowly. "I can't change your mind Kate. This is your decision. But I'll never stop caring about you. No matter what, I'll always be here." He reached out and gently touched her cheek. As much as it hurt him to do this, he had to let her go.

"Thank You." Kate whispered, a tear falling down her cheek. Jack kissed her forehead gently, as she grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

She didn't expect it to be that easy for Jack, but she had no idea how much it hurt it to watch her walk away that night.

---------------------------

"Where's Sawyer?" Kate asked, as she approached Charlie who was thumbing through one of Sawyer's many stolen books outside his shelter.

"What do you care?" Ana Lucia muttered. She and Charlie had made themselves comfortable outside of Sawyer's shelter, Charlie thumbing through one of Sawyer's countless stolen books.

Kate glared at Ana Lucia, and if if looks could kill, Ana would have fallen dead at that moment.

"Shut the fuck up Ana Lucia." Kate growled. Charlie sat up and put down the book, THIS was far more entertaining! "You are a miserable, selfish, little bitch. You're nothing but an instigating RAT." Kate could go on for hours if she really wanted to, but now really wasn't the place or the time.

"Look who's talking, princess." Ana growled back, giving Kate a smirk. "Now's not a good time sweetheart, you know I'm sure Jack's wondering where you are, run along now."

"Jealous?"

"Sounds like YOU are." Ana Lucia replied.

"You WISH I was jealous of you. What's there to be jealous off, some bitch who digs herself into everyone's business just so she can have SOMEONE pay attention to her? You're pathetic."

She turned to eye Charlie. "Where is he?" She asked.

Charlie pointed up to a clearing where the beach met the jungle. It was a spot Sawyer could be found in sometimes, enjoying a smoke or some alone time.

Ana glared at Charlie for telling her.

"I don't know what shit you're trying to pull again, Kate." Ana mumbled.

"Ana Lucia you better stay far away from me after I have this baby because I have every intention of knocking your head into a tree..." She said as she walked off, turning to add, "Repeatedly."

Ana Lucia scoffed as Kate walked away.

Kate nervously eyed the figure in the clearing as she approached. She wasn't quite sure what to say or where to begin, she decided to let her heart do the talking.

Sawyer gave a smirk as she walked towards him.

"Why howdy there, Sassafras, to what, or who do I owe the honor of this visit?" He said, with added sarcasm.

"Sawyer, I've got a lot to say here, whether or not you listen, that's your choice."

"I'm all ears, freckles." He responded.

"I made a mistake...shit, I've made many mistakes."

"You gonna tell me something I don't know?"

Kate sighed. "Look, all this time I've been away, has only made me realize how much I do love yo, Sawyer." She waited for some sort of asshole comment, but was greeted by silence. She continued, "I'm scared of what will happen to us, I'm scared of what will happen if we ever get off of her. But if I don't take chances, I'll never know what could happen. I told Jack...I told him I love you, Sawyer. I know its probably too late to matter, but, I do love you, more then I ever thought I could. I just want to be with you and raise our baby, and I can only hope things will end up the way they should be." She started to cry as she finished speaking.

Sawyer was speechless. He walked over to her, touching her stomach gently. "You don't know how long I've been waitin' to hear you say that." He said softly, hugging her as tightly as he could, he pregnant belly making it a little awkward.

He pulled away for a second, looking into her fierce green eyes. "I Love You, with all my heart." He said, barely above a whisper.

It wasn't something she could have ever predicted she'd hear from Sawyer's mouth the first day she met him. But now she knew better, the both had their secrets, they both had their problems, but in each other they found solace.


	15. Chapter 15: Proposals

NOTE: This Chapter is dedicated to all my loyal Skater Readers :) You guys can officially die of skater glee after you read this :)

Sawyer could barely sleep that night, he just wanted to stay up and watch Kate sleep. He had missed feeling her warm body next to his, the sweet smell of her hair and waking up to her smile and beautiful eyes. He gently ran his fingers through her hair as she slept, stopping only to reach down and touch her stomach every now and then when he saw it move, feeling his unborn child move again for the first time in months.

The next morning, Kate woke up, sadden to discover Sawyer wasn't there. She sat up, eyeing a piece of paper next to her. "Meet me at the clearing." was scribbled on an index pages Sawyer tore from one of his books.

Kate pulled hair hair back into a loose ponytail and changed her clothes before heading off to meet Sawyer.

"Fancy Meetin' You Here." Sawyer said as she walked up. He sat on a large blanket, with sliced fruit, water and flowers in front of him.

Kate smiled as she sat next to him.

"Good mornin' sunshine." He said as he kissed her cheek.

"What's all this?" She sweetly asked. Though she didn't doubt Sawyer loved her, she would never suspect her was capable of anything like this.

"Just thought I might shock the shit outta you and give you a nice surprise."

"This IS nice." Kate smiled.

"Oh, this ain't the surprise, Freckles." Sawyer smirked.

"Oh?" Kate said, curiously.

"Well, I guess if I'm gonna do this right, you better stand up."

Kate raised an eyebrow.

"No sense in askin' questions if you'll get the answer in a minute, now stand up."

Kate shrugged and did what he said.

Sawyer got up on his left knee and nervously pulled something from his pocket.

Kate nearly fainted when she saw what it was, a beautiful white gold engagement ring with a large sparkling diamond in the center and smaller diamonds set in the band.

Her eyes welled with tears as he said, "Kate, Will You marry Me?"

She nodded, she was in so much shock she could barely say, "Yes."

Sawyer smiled as he slipped the ring on her finger, it was a little tight but only due to her fingers swelling from being pregnant, both were shocked it fit so well.

"I ain't gonna loose you again." Sawyer said as he stood. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and softly kissed her lips.

Kate was overwhelmed with bliss, never in her life had she felt so accepted, so wonderful...so loved.

They spent a good part of the day in the clearing, just happy to be in each others arms again.

---------------------------------------------

Jack sighed as Ana Lucia uttered the words, "engaged". The minute she heard, she had to run and tell Jack.

"That's Nice." He said, before quickly changing the subject. "I need some help, what are you doing?" He asked.

"Jack, they're making this a big deal. I saw Sawyer talking to Eko, he wants to have some sort of ceremony here on the island, you don't think its stupid?"

"Its not my issue."

Ana Lucia rolled her eyes.

"They're their own people and they can do what they wish as long as they're not hurting anyone else."

"You're saying is NOT hurting you?" Ana asked.

"How about you help me, and we DONT talk about Sawyer and Kate?"

"Fine." Ana Lucia muttered.

------------------------------------------------------------

"I think its wonderful." Claire smiled at Kate. "I don't think I would have ever pictured this."

"Me neither!" Kate laughed.

"You're getting so close, I can't wait to hold your baby. Its going to be so beautiful, I just know it."

"Claire, there's a couple of things I need to ask of you...first, I just wanted to know...when I do have the baby, will you be there? I know it seems strange but..."

"Strange? No! You were the one who delivered Aaron, if you need me, I'm here."

Kate smiled wide, "Thank You." She said, hugging Claire. "And the other thing...if we ever get off of here and Sawyer and I are able to get married, I was you to be my maid of honor. You've been there for me through everything, anytime I was scared or worried about the baby, you comforted my fears and helped me out, and even when it came to Jack and Sawyer. It would mean so much to me to have you in the wedding."

Claire's eyes sparkled with joy.

"Well," she began, "Sawyer and I already had a little talk about that..."

"What sort of talk?"

"You'll see." Claire said with a wink.

Kate shook her head with a smile, she had known Sawyer was up to something, but she had no idea what exactly it was.


	16. Chapter 16: Surprises

Kate and Sawyer sat on the cool wet sand one morning, the waves crashing at their feet. Kate was looking at her ring as it caught the sunlight reflecting little orbs of light all around them.

"Okay, I do have to ask, where did you find this?"

He knew that would come along at somepoint.

"I found it a long time ago when I was lootin' the plane. It was in sombody's bag all new and shiny. Either someone just got rejected or they were on their way to be rejected."

"You're such an optimist!" Kate laughed, sarcastically. "Just wanted to make sure you didn't pry it off of some poor deceased woman or something."

"Well Hell, Freckles, they wouldn't exactly need it though, would they?"

"You're morbid, seriously." She looked back down on her ring with a happy sigh. "I never could predict I'd be propsed to on the middle of an island nearly nine months pregnant..." She looked over at him, shading the sun from her eyes with her right hand. "Just sucks that we can't be officially married, you know?"

Sawyer looked over at his bride to be, taking her left hand in his.

"Look, marriage to me is honestly nothin' but a piece of paper." Sawyer stated.

"You just don't want to ever be legally married to anyone because then you might have to pay alimony or give up half your stuff."

"Hey, I asked you to marry me, didn't I?"

"Yeah, cuz then your alimony & child support would be Mango and Papaya." Kate chuckled.

"Hey sweetchecks, at least this way I know you ain't just marryin' me for my money."

He smirked. "What I was honestly trying to say was, bein' married don't prove we love each other. But I wanted to show you I'm gonna stick around."

Kate smiled wide, she had confidence in their future together, but she still had fears. Fears of her fate if they were ever rescued. Though she had many people who would back her up in court, she doubted it would matter much. But as Sawyer gently placed his hand on her stomach, feeling the baby move, she felt that whatever happened, their child would be all right.

----------------------------------------------------

"What're you doing?" Kate asked Claire as she stood before her and Aaron. Claire hadn't even noticed her walk up, she nervously threw her craft behind her back and gave Kate an awkawrd smile.

"Ohhh...nothing at all!" She declared.

"Funny, nothing looks a lot like something."

"Just uh...making some Nappies for Aaron." Claire said, giving the first excuse that came to mind.

"Since when do you put flowers on Aaron's diapers?" Kate asked.

"Do you enjoy ruining surprises? I'm not going to tell you what's going on."

She didn't think she'd soon see the day where Sawyer and Claire were in an elusive alliance together. Hell, she never thought she'd see the day she and Sawyer would be together...especially having a baby and engaged. She often thought she was dreaming, but then Sawyer would slip in a jackass comment here and there and she'd be reminded it was her reality, but she wasn't complaining.

"Ah, ah, ah." Sawyer said, startling Kate as he walked up.

"No Interrogatin' good ole Claire, Sassafras."

"You two weird me out." Kate said as Claire and Sawyer gave her guilty grins.

"If you had patience you'd soon enough find out." Claire stated.

"Aaron, if only you could say more then Mama & Banana, I'm sure you'd tell me everything." Kate said, smiling at the little blonde baby, hitting the sand repeatedly with a stick and giggling. He then looked up at Kate and offered her the stick, babbling something along the lines of, "Oah Dah Maga Mah."

Claire couldn't help but laugh. "Traitor." She chuckled.

Kate happily accepted the stick with a smile.

"I'm exhausted." Kate said, with a yawn, after she handed the stick back to Aaron.

"Well, sweetcheeks, we're votin you off the island then. Why don't you go take a nap." Sawyer said, guiding her back to their shelter. "I promise when you wake up, you'll get you'll get your surprise."

"I'm supposed to sleep after you tell me this?" She questioned, with a sly smile. Sawyer kissed her gently, sitting down next to her as she laid down.

He ran his hand down her side, resting it on her hip.

"I Love You, Sawyer." She sleepily said, "I'm so-" She trailed off her voice barely audible as she fell asleep.

Sawyer gave a soft smile, touching her cheek gently.

He had done so much wrong in his life, he was surpsied he could ever get something so wonderful. He never thought he'd ever do right.


	17. Chapter 17: A Dedicated Love

NOTES: I've had a few people say, oh well, that's not like Sawyer to do that. Well, in here, he's trying to prove something to Kate, after what happened with Kate & Jack, Sawyer doesn't wanna loose her again, but she's scared he's just gonna up & ditch her when he doesn't HAVE to be around i.e. they get rescued or something. So he's trying to prove something to her, he basically got a big ass slap in the face when she ran off with Jack and was all set to raise their kid wth Jack. So, Yeah. Sawyer loooooves Kate, but he's still a jackass when need be.

Kate is good friends with both Sun & Claire in this. But I love the friendship of Claire & Kate, so I tend to go way big on that, and I d it in dedication to my best friend, who is the Claire to my Kate (hence our writing name, LOL) plus I figured hello, Kate delivered Aaron they SHOULD be uber close.

A small ray of sunlight shined through an opening in the shelter's flap, directing shining on Kate's eyes as she awakened. She sat up with a stretch and looked around. Sawyer was most likely off working on his big surprise. She listened briefly, and the beach camp sound far too silent for her liking. She could hear some voices here and there and the crashing of the waves, but nothing compared to the normal hustle and bustle of the camp.

Kate stood and opened the flap, Sawyer stood outside, grinning as he called it, "like a jackass." The sand was cool under her bare feet. She could barely wear shoes anymore because her feet were so swollen and uncomfortable. She found a pair of flip-flops but she would prefer to walk around barefoot on the beach.

Claire emerged from the other side of the shelter, beaming. She had a hair brush in her left hand Aaron on her right hip.

"I don't like the looks of this." Kate muttered. Claire handed Aaron to Sawyer, and immediately Aaron was pulling on Sawyer's hair and cracking up, Sawyer didn't look pleased at all.

Kate laughed out loud as she saw the annoyed look spreading on Sawyer's face. "Get used to it."

Claire removed Kate's ponytail holder, letting her wavy hair and curls cascade onto her shoulders, layers framing her face. Sawyer couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she was.

"Seriously, why are you doing my hair?" Claire simple brushed it down and around her face, but Claire wanted everything perfect.

Neither bothered to answer Kate's question.

Sawyer gently reached for her hand and guided her after he handed Aaron back to Claire.

Sawyer stopped, letting go of Kate's hand and standing behind her, putting his hands over her eyes.

"No peekin'" He whispered in her ear. Kate chuckled at how silly this all was, but still had an anxious happy feeling deep inside her.

Claire took Kate's hand into her free hand and guided them along.

They didn't walk for long and Kate could hear people whispering when they finally stopped.

He uncovered her eyes and she was shocked to see nearly everyone standing in a crowd around Eko's unfinished church.

Everyone but Ana Lucia, Jack & Locke. Claire excused Locke, who was busy in the Hatch.

Kate knew what was going on, but she wanted to hear it from Sawyer as well.

"Sawyer?" She asked, "What is all this?"

Sawyer beamed with pride at his surprise.

"Look Kate", he began, "There's a lot I need t'say, and I know I'll say it all wrong. I know I'm not a great man, I know I'm not the most trustworthy man, and shit, sometimes I'm a downright asshole. But if there's one thing I'm finally sure of is that I love you and I love this baby. I never though a guy like me would ever get somethin' like this. I can remember the first time I saw you, everything inside me turned upside down. Everytime I saw you with Jack I always thought that's how it was gonna be, I'd just sit and stare and bitch and moan. I have a lot to prove to you Kate, but I don't want you to be scared, I want you to know I'm not leavin'."

Kate's eyes welled with tears, being pregnant didn't help hearing Sawyer's powerful words.

Claire fought to hold back her own tears.

"Its as close to the real thing as we can get." Sawyer spoke up again, "I know its not much, in a half built church on an island in fuck knows where, but it means something to me, cuz from this day on, should you wanna go through this with me, I'll consider you my wife."

"Am I dreaming?" Kate asked, her voice breaking as she cried.

Sawyer shook his head.

Majority of the other castaways couldn't believe their ears either.

"Oh, Sawyer." Kate exclaimed, as she kissed him.

"Shall we?" Sawyer asked, extending his arm. Kate nodded, locking arms with him. Claire was handed something from Libby, a flower halo, which Kate recognized, it was what Claire was working on in the morning. Kate put the small Halo on Kate's head through a teary smile.

"I wish I had a camera." She sighed.

Libby then handed Kate some wildflowers. "I actually picked them." Hurley blushed. "Libby arranged them and tied the ribbon around them."

Sun stepped forward holding sweet faced baby Ki Min and hugged Kate.

Kate was still in shock, she wanted to excessively pinch herself, this wasn't Sawyer. The Other's replaced him with another Sawyer. This wasn't real, she feared soon enough she'd wake up, sad and alone in the Hatch or something.

Sawyer and Kate stood before Eko.

Eko quickly said the usual marriage speech, with his own added words here and there to give it its own heart, they weren't your average couple in the average surroundings with average friends and average lifestyles.

Eko turned to Sawyer, motioning for him to say his piece.

"I know I'm not the hero, Kate, But the bad guy needs a bad girl at his side, don't he?" Sawyer winked. Kate smiled wide. "You should know by now, I love you, and I'd die to protect you and the baby I don't got much to say, cuz I've already said a lot. 'Sides, I speakin' your words and provin' your words are different things." He squeezed Kate's hand as she trembled

Eko then turned to Kate.

"I uh...I'm not really prepared for this." She said, holding back tears. She looked into Sawyer's eyes and spoke from her heart. "When I was really young, I'd dream about getting married and having my nice house and my dog and my kids..." She brought the hand she held her bouquet with to her stomach. "But as I grew older, and until I met you, I thought love was...stupid, that it distracted you, that I'd only ever get hurt if I fell in love. When I first met you...I honestly thought you were just some conceited asshole," Everyone, including Sawyer, laughed a little at what she said, "But as we both told each other our deepest secrets and shared so much here...I realized how much I really did...and do, love you. Even though sometimes you make me furious, nothing's perfect...we're far from it. But we have something together no one else can have, we have our baby. I Love You, Sawyer, and I wouldn't have things any other way."

Sawyer leaned forward and kissed Kate ever-so-gently, wiping the tears from her cheeks with a broad smile. The happy couple gave their I-Do's and gave each other another, heartfelt kiss.

Jack walked up behind the crowd, watching with sad eyes. As much as it hurt him to see her do this, he wanted her to be happy. She had a beautiful, blissful glow about her, and she smiled sweetly as she spied Jack and they locked glances. He smiled back at her, even though it stung her his heart to let her go.


	18. Chapter 18: Complications

NOTES: Okay 17 was probably the sappiest thing I've ever written in my life ;) How many of you have cavities from reading that? LOL.

"Rainbow Sherbert." Kate finally said, "Yes, would have to be rainbow sherbert."

"That's all you've craved?" sawyer asked, raising an eyebrow. "Gee, Freckles in the movies its all pickles and chocolate."

"You get any sympathy cravings?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, Sex." Sawyer smirked. Kate whacked him in the arm playfully.

"Well, dion't think I can get ya any rainbow sherbert, sweetcheeks. Settle for some Guava?"

"Anything is better then Papaya." Kate said, a disgusted look spreading on her face. To this day, the thought of Papaya made her stomach turn. She looked at Sawyer, as he touched her stomach gently. "Has it hit you yet then in a couple weeks, maybe even less, we're going to be parents?"

"Freckles, I'm still stuck on you marryin' me outside a half finished church of sticks on an island, fuck knows where."

"In that case, I'm still stuck on the fact that we're together."

"Should I take that as a compliment, eh?"

"I didn't mean that in a bad way." Kate laughed.

Sawyer peered down at her stomach, as the baby wildly moved.

"Look, we've got our own 3 Ring Circus." Kate giggled.

Sawyer learned forward, cleared his throat and in a deep voice began to sing into Kate's stomach,

"An old cowboy went riding out one dark and windy day..."

Kate couldn't help but laugh as he continued on. "Upon a ridge he rested as he went along his way..."

"Sawyer, WHAT are you doing?"

"You ain't never heard Johnny Cash?" He gave her a strange look, "Tell me I didn't marry a woman who knows nothin' bought Johnny Cash."

"You're singing." Kate smirked.

"And?"

"Is it the end of the world?" She laughed.

"You prefer something else?"

Kate shrugged as she tried to choke back more laughter.

"Well, you know any Johnny Cash?"

"Sure I do, but its the principle here."

Sawyer glared at her, "I'm not doin' it to entertain you."

"All right fine, yes, I do know some Johnny Cash."

"You know Jackson?" He asked.

"Yes." Kate nodded.

"I'll sing Johnny, You sing June."

"You're serious?"

She sighed as she looked into his eyes, noting he was in fact serious.

Sawyer gave her a handsome smile before he started singing, urging her to join in. "We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout, We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson..."

They sang together, Kate stopping as Sawyer sang, "I'm goin' to Jackson, I'm gonna mess around, yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson, Look out Jackson town."

Sawyer eyed Kate, who blushed as she sang,

"Well, go on down to Jackson; go ahead and wreck your health. Go play your hand you big-talkin' man, make a big fool of yourself, yeah, go to Jackson; go comb your hair!"

"Honey, I'm gonna snowball Jackson!" Sawyer cut in.

"See if I care!" Kate finished.

"We're a regular Johnny and June."

"Hardly." Kate replied with added sarcasm.

"Kate?" The couple heard from outside the shelter. Sawyer smirked as her recognized Jack's voice.

"Why Howdy there, Doc." He said, as he peered out from the shelter's flap. "Bring us a toaster? Blender?"

"Sawyer." Kate said, slipping out behind him, with a roll of her eyes. "Its all right."

Jack gave a small smile at Kate, who softly said, "Hello, Jack."

"Kate, you're getting close, you've got to be near the end of your term. I'm going to need to start doing regular checkups."

Sawyer raised an eyebrow.

"You speakin' some kinda code, Doc? What's checkup REALLY mean?"

Both Kate and Jack didn't bother to respond.

"All right." Kate nodded.

"We should start now, come with me to the Hatch." Before Sawyer could say anything, Jack stated, "Sawyer, you're welcome to come along."

Sawyer gave a smug looked, nodding proudly.

He started whistling "Jackson" as the trio started off, Kate slipping her hand into his. Sawyer smiled as they interlocked fingers. Jack nervously swallowed as he looked over and saw them, so in love.

"How are you feeling?" Jack asked, just saying whatever he could to get his mind off of his heartache.

"Well, every muscle in my body is sore, I have to pee all the time...I'm exhausted, I'm moody..."

"I think he means aside from the obvious, sweetcheeks."

Jack actually agreed with Sawyer as he nodded his head.

Kate shrugged, "I get really bad pains now and then...pressure...sometimes I get dizzy."

Jack nodded, taking everything she said and retaining it.

It wasn't long before they reached the Hatch and Sawyer helped Kate in.

Jack had Kate lay down in the bunk room as he pressed firmly on her stomach.

A worried look came over his face.

"This is going to sound really awkward..."

Sawyer raised an eyebrow.

"I need to do an internal exam."

Sawyer's eyes went wide. "Whoa, whoa...WHOA."

"Get used to it Sawyer." Kate finally said, she was more stressed about Jack's worried eyes. She had remember Sun telling her how it was awkward for her and Jin when Jack had to do it several times near the end of her term.

"Look we need to set whatever...Beef, we have aside. There's something seriously wrong here. I NEED to see if Kate is dilated. I'm sorry Sawyer but if you want your baby to be all right, you're going to have to let us do this."

Sawyer was so frustrated her left the room, raiding the kitchen for something to eat.

He tapped his fingers on the counter as he waited, eating goldfish style crackers one by one.

He watched Jack go into the bathroom, then come back out drying his hands on a towel.

"So?"

Jack sighed. "The baby is in what's called a transverse lie...means the baby is sideways. She's dilated 2 centimeters, but that could change quickly. EWe're going to have to move the baby ourselves, and hope that it stays, because I don't have the proper equipment to perform a c-section."

"How do we move the baby?" Sawyer asked.

"We push on her stomach. I know where the head is, if I guide the head down, and you push the butt up...we can move it into the right position, the only problem is getting the baby to stay."

"Ain't that gonna hurt her?"

Jack nodded, "It may also cause her to go into labor."

Sawyer sighed. "Well, we do what we gotta do and we keep doin' it. I ain't losin' them."

Jack and Sawyer both went back to find a teary eyed Kate.

Sawyer wiped a single tear from her cheek, she grabbed his other hand and squeezed it tight.

"Sawyer, put your hands right here." Jack said, pointing to Kate's stomach. "Feel that?" He said as Sawyer applied pressure. "That's the baby's butt, now I'm gonna push down, Kate...this isn't going to feel good at all."

"Baby, its gonna hurt like hell." Sawyer said.

"Ready?" Jack asked, peering over at Sawyer, who was on the bed at Kate's left side.

Sawyer nodded.

"Go." Jack said.

Both applied as much pressure as they could, Sawyer trying not to give up as Kate screamed out in pain.

"Come on, Come On." Jack said. A few moments later, Jack finally gave the OK to stop.

Kate was sobbing, the pain was unbearable.

"I need you guys to stay in the Hatch. I've got to monitor the baby and check in a couple hours if you've dilated anymore."

Kate nodded as Sawyer wiped her eyes with the corner of his shirt. Jack headed to the kitchen to get something for Kate to eat and drink.

"I can't do this, Sawyer." Kate said, her tone of voice was heartbreaking.

"Yes, You Can." Sawyer firmly replied. "And I ain't goin' nowhere. You can yell at me, you can scream at me, you can squeeze my hand so hard my bones crack...but I ain't goin nowhere. You're the strongest girl on this island, you tellin' me Claire and Sun can have babies just fine and you can't? Shit, I'd put money on you in a mud match, sassafras."

Kate gave a pained smile and squeezed Sawyer's hand a little. Sawyer laid down, curling up with Kate, running his fingers through her hair. He tryed to remain as strong as he possibly could. He couldn't let her know he was terrified too.


	19. Chapter 19: Confrontation & Contractions

NOTE: Uggg, I've been trying to update almost ALL our fics for the past few days but alas, as you guys probably all noticed the side was actin' up. So, here we go :) Much more to come of course, and for those who read Claire's fic, Free Falling, its also been updated. Thank you, thank you to all our loyal readers and reviewers!

"How is she?" Jack asked, as Sawyer walked into the kitchen where Jack was cleaning some dishes.

"Sleepin'." Sawyer stated, as Jack dried his hands and moved over to the table to eat.

"I should wake her in an hour or so, I need to check the baby."

"Let her sleep, doc. She's fuckin' miserable."

Jack wasn't about to argue. He didn't want to pick a fight with Sawyer, Kate didn't need it at all, she had enough on her plate.

"You don't look too good yourself." Jack stated.

"Well, I ain't exactly frolicin' and pickin' daisies over this."

"So far, it looks like she's going to be fine."

"Looks like don't mean 'for sure', Jackie Boy." Sawyer sighed, sitting across from Jack.

They sat there silently for a few moments before Jack finally said, "You really do care about her, don't you?" He scolded himself for letting that slip.

"Why Doc, you gettin' a little steamed thinkin I may just make her happy?" Sawyer rested his elbow on the table, brining his hand to his forehead. "I know no matter what I say or do, you'll sit there thinkin' you can always do better. But I'll tell you right now, she's the most important thing to me. She gives me something to believe in, and I know you're sittin' here thinkin' she deserves better, and maybe she does, but that don't mean I won't fight to keep her safe."

"Look, She made her choice, and she's happy, I can't ask for anything more then that." Jack lowered his head as he rapped his fingers on the table.

Before either could say anything else, Kate emerged, rubbing her eyes repeatedly when she saw them sitting at the table together.

She looked around the room in sheer confusion. "Am I dreaming?" She stated.

Both stood, nervously watching her walk over, staring at her as if she were made of glass.

"Should she be up?" Sawyer turned to ask Jack.

"I'm fine." Kate smiled.

"Are you?" Jack asked. He knew Kate never wanted to appear weak and he feared she would lie in order to mask her pain.

"I'm FINE." Kate said again, adding extra emphasis on the fine. "Well, my feet are a little cold...but..."

Both Jack and Sawyer couldn't help but smile back at her. Her whole face glowed and her eyes sparkled, she appeared before them as if nothing had happened and everything was fine again. But Jack wanted to be sure.

"May I?" Jack asked motioning to her stomach.

Kate nodded as Jack firmly pressed her stomach, Kate winced a little, which alarmed Jack. "Thought you were fine." Jack stated.

"All right, I lied. I feel a little...crampy?"

"HOW 'crampy'?" Jack asked.

"Eleven minutes apart crampy."

Jack hung his head. "For how long?"

"About an hour."

"What's that mean!" Sawyer asked, a nervous tremble in his voice.

Jack pointed to the bunks and with a firm tone said, "Go, Now."

Kate knew he needed to check her but her fear of finally having the baby overwhelmed her.

But with a sigh, Kate obeyed and walked off into the bunk. Sawyer nervously watched Jack follow her. His stomach overwhelmed with a raw, horrified feeling. It was dawning on him that soon, very soon, he was going to be a father. He squeezed his fists, digging his nails into the flesh of his palms, trying to let the fear subside, but it only grew stronger with each second that went by. He was lost in his thoughts, lost in his fears, he stood there alone for a few minutes, losing track of the time that sped on by.

Jack emerged and eyed Sawyer. "Four Centimeters, Sawyer...She's in labor."


	20. Chapter 20: Distractions

**CowboyswithDimples**: There will be surprise included in the babies name just for you ;) LOL. But who the heezy is using the name Lily? I came up with my whole sob story around that name, now I'm mad LOL. Okay otherwise...enjoy ;)

"Breathe, just breathe." Sawyer said softly, as Kate rolled to her left side in sheer pain. Kate exhaled slowly, trembling as she grabbed Sawyer's hand and squeezed it tight.

"Five minutes." Sawyer stated as Jack walked back in.

Jack nodded. "Consistently?" He asked.

Sawyer nodded.

"Claire..." Kate weakly said, trailing off. The pain was unbearable, and every contraction got far worse then the others.

"Claire?" Sawyer asked.

"Get Claire." Kate stated. "Please, get Claire."

Sawyer looked back at Jack nervously, he didn't want to leave her side but she knew Claire wanted to be there, and he knew Kate wanted her there.

"All right." Sawyer finally said, standing up.

He ran as fast as he possibly could, stopping abruptly when he came face to face with Charlie. "Where's the fire, man?" Charlie asked.

Sawyer caught his breath before saying, "Kate, Kate's having the baby...she wants Claire there."

Charlie's eyes grew wide with excitement. "No shit, eh? Having the baby. Wow, you of all people...havin' a kid!" Charlie laughed.

Sawyer glared at him. "If you don't mind, Chuck, I'd rather not miss it."

"Oh, Yeah!" Charlie stated, moving out of Sawyer's way. "I'll head to the Hatch then..."

"Don't think Claire's gonna wanna have a tea party with ya at the moment, Has-been."

Charlie's eyes lowered to the mud on the toes of his worn sneakers, he was obviously stung by Sawyer's sharp words. "Oh...right...Claire." He stated. He turned and followed Sawyer as he started off running. Sawyer didn't bother waiting for him, Claire would get huffy if she saw him around and then Locke would pitch a fit and not let her go without him. They didn't need an audience, he just wanted to make things as easy as possible.

"What the fuck?" Sawyer said as he stopped. Charlie practically ran into him, collecting himself and saying,

"What, what is it?"

"Shut up!" Sawyer exclaimed, watching a figure in the distance. Charlie followed his gaze and stared into the distance as well, quickly noticing the two figures staring back at them.

"Don't do anything stupid." Charlie whispered.

"Hey ASSHOLES." Sawyer yelled out.

"Oh, bloody fantastic." Charlie muttered.

"You're on the wrong side of the playin' field!" Sawyer exclaimed.

The figures darted off, and Sawyer darted after them, leaving Charlie inches deep in thick mud and debating what to do. He could go back and tell Jack, or he could run after Sawyer.

He decided on the second option, practically slipping in the slimy mud as he took off.

He never took his eyes off Sawyer, following every step and turn he took. Finally the two stopped in a thickly vegetated stretch of the jungle.

"Fuck." Sawyer shouted as he realized he had lost them

"Right, now that you've let out your inner Tarzan don't you think it best you get back to Kate?"

Sawyer kicked at a clump of dirt in fury, "I don't trust those fuckers right now...

He trailed off, "Shit, I never trust 'em."

Sawyer then heard a thud to his left, and turned quickly to see Charlie on the forest floor. "What the..."

Before he could finish, a shooting pain shot through his skull and he was consumed by darkness.


	21. Chapter 21: Other Intentions

Where ARE they? Jack thought, obviously frustrated. He corrected his thoughts, Where is He? He was beginning to doubt Sawyer even went to find Claire. He didn't want to jump to conclusions but with the birth of the baby moments away, he figured Sawyer might have gotten a large dose of reality and taken off.

Ana Lucia kept popping in to see what was going on, Jack finally turned to her and said, "Look if you want to be here, DO SOMETHING."

Ana Lucia glared for a moment, then softened her eyes. "Fine, what do you need?"

"Not what, WHO." Jack stated. "Find Sawyer, or Claire, whichever you run into first. Send them back here, FAST."

Ana Lucia nodded. A part of her felt as if she owed it to Kate, thought she wouldn't right out admit it, she felt guilty for their squabble months prior.

Ana Lucia ran as fast as she could back to the beach, she had ran through the jungle many times, it came to her naturally, it was as if her body knew exactly where to turn which foot would lead and so on, without her mind having to relay. She caught her breath as she stood before Claire & Aaron, who were being visited by Locke.

"Kate...Baby." Ana Lucia got out, finally catching her breath and filling in more details. "Kate's having her baby, you seen Sawyer?"

Claire eyes went wide. "What, NOW?"

"No, tomorrow! Shit, yes, NOW." Claire immediately picked Aaron up and grabbed her bag.

Locke followed, as did Ana Lucia.

"I gotta find Sawyer." Ana Lucia said.

"He take off?" Locke asked.

"I'm not sure." Ana Lucia replied.

Locke eyed the gun tucked in the back of her jeans. They were midway to the hatch when Ana Lucia noticed shoeprints in the mud. Locke noticed them too.

"You start off that way, I'll walk Claire to the hatch."

Ana Lucia nodded as the small group split.

---------------------------------------

"Three minutes." Jack said outloud, as Kate gripped his wrist tightly.

"I'm not doing this." Kate stated, sighing with relief that the last contraction had ended. "I CAN'T do this."

"Yes, you can." Jack stated.

"Not without Sawyer." She replied.

"Kate, you have to, you have to do this." Jack stated as he wiped her brow with a cold rag. "If you don't push when it comes time, you can put the baby into distress."

Kate closed her eyes and sighed.

"No." She firmly said.

Jack was about to speak again when he heard voices. Kate's eyes opened as she made out Claire's voice.

Claire smiled as she entered the room.

"Where's Sawyer?" Kate asked. Claire looked at Jack, then back at Kate.

"He uhm..." Claire started, looking to Jack for an answer. "He's coming."

---------------------------------------------------------

Sawyer groaned as he opened his eyes to a faceful of moist grass, his head pounding. Charlie was still knocked out to his left and Sawyer brought himself to a sitting position and rubbed the back of his head. He kicked at Charlie's thigh several times then finally rolled him over and gave him a clean smack on the jaw.

"Fuck!" Charlie yelped as his eyes shot open. He eyed Sawyer then shook his aching head. "Wish you would bloody listen to me sometimes, you soddin' yankee bastard."

"Ain't time for you shoulda's, Chuckie."

Sawyer squinted as he saw a figure approaching. "Looks like the boys are back for more."

He looked around and grabbed a thick branch a few feet away and got himself into a comfortable crouch.

He swung the branch with all his might, ignoring Charlie's rambling behind him.

He swung for the lower legs and knocked the figure onto its ass.

"SHIT!" He recognized the voice immediately. Ana Lucia.

He moved the leaves and sapling branches out of the way and got a good look at her, smirking in delight.

"What the hell was that for?" Ana said as Sawyer offered her an arm to help her up. "And why are you in the middle of the jungle," She peered behind Sawyer as Charlie walked up behind him, "...with Charlie, when Kate's in the Hatch poppin' your kid out."

"Playin' Pattycake." Sawyer stated, "What the fuck's it look like?" He said, pointing to the back off his bloodied head.

Charlie was till rubbing his head and groaning.

"What happened?" Locke asked as he stumbled upon the three others. He eyed Charlie, who looked rather pissed to see Locke before him.

"Who knows who's listenin' right now." Sawyer said as he surveyed the surroundings. Locke nodded in agreement and the group started back to the Hatch.

Sawyer didn't feel up to running, his head was spinning and attacking Ana Lucia took enough out of him.

---------------------------------------------------

Claire wished they would hurry, Aaron was restless and scared. He kept seeing his adopted "aunt" in distress and it left him very confused. Claire wanted to be with Kate but the stress in the bunks caused Aaron to fuss so she put on a record and sat on the couch with him, waiting for Locke, or anyone trustworthy enough to come down.

She jumped to her feet when she saw Locke, and felt nervous as she saw Charlie walk in behind him.

"So...?" Ana Lucia urged.

"The Others." Sawyer stated.

Claire felt a lump in her throat as Sawyer spoke. "We chased two of 'em, a guy and a girl, we think we lose them, only for them to come up from behind and take us out."

"Why now?" Claire asked as she walked forward.

"I think they're comin' to stake claim on my kid."

Charlie shook his head. "They didn't do anything when Ki-Min was born."

"Why would they go through the trouble of doing anything twice?" Ana Lucia spoke up. "If they came and got Ki-Min, they'd be expected to take your baby, so why not take all the babies at the same time?"

"You sleepin' with the enemy, Ana-Lu?" Sawyer asked.

Ana Lucia rolled her eyes.

"She's right." Locke spoke up.

Sawyer sighed, "They ain't takin' my kid." He stated, firmly. Claire hugged Aaron tightly.

"Now if ya'll will excuse me..." Sawyer said as he turned and eyed Claire, "We don't say nothin' to Kate." He said. Claire nodded as she handed Aaron to Locke.

"How you gonna explain the large bump on the back of your head?" Ana pointed out.

"I'll Jus' say You attacked me when I came out of the bushes." Sawyer smirked at Ana Lucia.

"Bastard." Ana muttered in reply.


	22. Chapter 22: Birth

Sawyer and Claire slid into the bunks and Kate's eyes widened, her arms reaching for Sawyer.

"I'm here." He stated as he walked towards her, climbing onto the bunk and sitting behind her, letting her rest her back on his chest, and her arms on his knees.

"Please Stay." Kate said, yelping as another contraction hit her.

Jack eyed Sawyer, taking notice of his bleeding head, but didn't bother to say anything. Now wasn't the time.

"The baby is right there." Jack said. "Her water finally broke...and on its own a little bit ago. She's ready."

"No I'm Not." Kate huffed.

"Hey, Hey." Sawyer stated, "You can do this, Shit, you're the toughest girl here, Sun did it..."

"I did it!" Claire exclaimed. "I did it because of you, Kate."

Oh God, Am I Watching Lifetime? Sawyer thought.

Kate gave out a large sigh as her stomach tightened with yet another contraction.

"Okay." She said weakly.

"Okay." Jack exclaimed with a happy sigh. "Everytime you feel a contraction, I need you to push as hard as you can, really bear down, okay? When you feel the urge to push, do so."

Kate nodded slowly as Sawyer helped her sit up a little more. Jack turned to Claire, "I'm going to need a towel, definitely. And Maybe a bowl of warm water and a washcloth to clean off the baby."

Claire nodded and ran out of the room.

Kate's eyes narrowed with pain as Jack urged her to push. "Take a deep breath and push!" He stated, Kate pushed down hard as she could, her hand squeezing Sawyer's knee so tightly that her knuckles went white.

Kate stopped and took a deep breath. "Good!" Jack cried out.

Claire rushed back in setting the water and wash cloth behind her, kneeling at Kate's side.

Kate squeezed her eyes shut, the pain consumed her entire body now. She pushed again and then stopped after a few seconds.

"I Can't do this..." She said, tears rolling down her freckled cheeks.

"Kate, if you push a few more times the baby is out, its RIGHT here. Once you push the head out, its all downhill from there. You CAN do this."

Kate cried out as another fierce contraction tightened her stomach in pain. She inhaled deeply and pushed as hard as she could.

"Anytime you wanna push now, do so." Jack stated. Kate nodded, her eyes still shut tight from the constant pain. Jack turned to Claire again, "There's scissors over to my left," Jack began, motioning with his head. "Get them ready for me, there should be a rubber band too, I need that ready too."

Claire nodded and held both items, she couldn't help but smile, she was so happy to be a part of this, especially since Kate was there for her when she had Aaron.

Kate pushed and Jack told Sawyer to count it for her, to make it easier.

"One...Two...Three...Four..."

"Try and Go to Ten Kate." Jack slipped in.

"Five...Six...Seven...Eight..."

Kate stopped and rested her head back on Sawyer's shoulder.

"The head's out." Jack smiled. "We can do this in one more push, all right? I'm gonna help you."

The pain stopped Kate from saying anything, she just weakly nodded. So took another large breath and pushed with all her might.

Hearing the Baby cry was the moment where it all hit Sawyer like a brick. He was a father now. He looked at the tiny crying baby in Jack's hands as Kate, exhausted threw herself back into Sawyer's arms.

"Its a girl." Jack smiled.

"I Told You." Kate smiled weakly, before she started to cry.

"Oh!" Claire exclaimed. "She's so beautiful!"

Jack quickly cut the cord and tied it up with a rubber band as Claire wiped the baby down and wrapped her in a towel. Sawyer, for once in his life, was speechless.

Claire started tot cry as she peered down at the baby now in her arms before she handed her to Kate.

Sawyer peered down at the little girl in Kate's arms and couldn't help but smile wide. She was perfect, she had a ton of hair, auburn curls adorned her head and her skin was a rich pink. She didn't even look like she was just born, she looked like a perfect little doll.

"Got a good set of lungs on her." Sawyer smirked, finally speaking up, as the baby continued to wail. Finally stopping and slowly opening her eyes. She was the spitting image of Kate, her tiny features, curly locks and beautiful eyes all reminded him of Kate.

"Oh, Sawyer..." Kate sobbed. "We're parents."

----------------------------------------

Sawyer sat alone with the baby on the couch later that night. He told Kate do go ahead and sleep, she need her rest and he would wake her if the baby got hungry. He sat in the quiet of the Hatch staring down at his newborn daughter with pride. He peeled the blanket she was wrapped in from her tiny body and took her tiny hand into his, she had ten perfect, tiny fingers, and ten perfect, tiny toes. Claire had taken a shirt and cut the ribbons which held it on a hanger off, which made perfect white ribbon's for the baby's hair. She was giddy as she bunched up the tiny infant girls hair and tied the ribbon around it, beaming with pride at her adopted niece. The ribbon had managed to stay in her silky curls.

She looks like an angel. Sawyer thought to himself. He had never felt this before, the special feeling that overwhelmed his body and soul as he stared down at the sleeping babe. He was proud, happy, overcome with joy & a deep need to protect her, to always be there to catch her if she fell.

"Hey." Jack said as he walked towards Sawyer.

"Hi, Doc." Sawyer said, barely above a whisper as he twirled a finger in one of the baby's curls. "How's everythin'?" He asked, referring to Kate, who Jack was checking on every now and then.

"She woke up for a second...She's doing fine."

"She needs her rest." Sawyer stated. "Figure I'd let her sleep for a while until the baby got hungry."

"She have a name yet?" Jack asked looking down at the baby girl.

"She's got a lot of names." Sawyer began. "See, she was just gonna be Lilly Rose at first, then Kate was diggin' up the past and decided she wanted Alexis in there too, said when she played house her babies were always Alexis. I never saw Freckles as one to play House, but she insisted on Alexis too. Then she was like oh well, Claire was a big part of this too. So as of right now her full name is Lily Alexis Claire Rose Ford."

"That'll be interesting teaching her how to write all that."

"I just call her Peanut." Sawyer said as he grinned at her.

"Well, Lily Alexis Claire Rose Ford. Welcome to the world." Jack said, with a smile. He turned away, stopping as Sawyer spoke up.

"Jack? Thank You."


	23. Chapter 23: Broken

Kate shuffled to the bathroom with a whine. She felt miserable, her muscles were sore, not to mention other things. She practically yelped when she went to the bathroom and whined as she shuffled back out.

She stopped as a sleeping Sawyer caught her eye. He was asleep on the couch, bare chested with Lily asleep on his chest. Kate smiled through her pain and slowly walked over to them. She touched Lily's soft hair with her fingertips.

She's too beautiful for words. Kate thought, beaming with happiness at her brand new baby girl.

"Hey Gorgeous." Sawyer quietly said as his eyes fluttered open, focusing on Kate.

"Hi Handsome." She said with a soft smile.

"Guess you've come over for a celebratory quickie, ey Sweetcheeks?"

"I could kill you for saying that." She smirked as he slowly sat up trying not to wake the baby he cuddled to his chest. "I'm a born again virgin."

"Whoa, I didn't marry a nun, did I?"

"You have the next baby and we'll talk."

"You'd be the one and only woman I'd ever consider bearin' a child for, punkin'."

Sawyer handed Lily to Kate whose beauty glowed bright as she smiled with pride at her tiny daughter.

"You sure she wasn't an immaculate conception there, Sister Kate? She looks nothing like me." He said, peering over at the baby in Kate's arms. "She's all you."

Lily started to fuss and Kate giggled. "I think attitude wise, she's all you. Looks just like you when you're pissed off." Sawyer couldn't help but stare at Kate as she nursed their baby, it came to her naturally and they both looked so beautiful and at peace.

"I gotta go dig through the supplies and find some birth control. I'll throw it at everyone like Mardi Gras."

Kate laughed a little. "I don't think we'll be seeing anymore babies for a long time Sawyer."

"I ain't talkin' you and me, you didn't hear about Moonbeam & Stay-Puff?"

Kate's eyes widened as she looked over at Sawyer. "...What? How did you...oh, wait, I forgot you're the worst neighbor on the planet, especially when it comes to being nosey."

"Let's just say I'm observant." Sawyer started. "She don't got the flu, she keeps runnin' off pukin' her brains out. And he's runnin' around like a wild stallion. Hey, I get laid too you don't see me braggin'..."

"Actually Sawyer there was about four days of gloating before the initial holy shit from you when we found out I was pregnant."

"Yeah, well...I had to rub it into Doc's wounds..."

"Ass." Kate started. "Libby & Hurley? You sure you're not jumping to conclusions? You tend to do that...A LOT."

"Well, why don't we ask them?" Sawyer asked as he pointed to Hurley who was keeping up with Jack who had Libby in his arms. Kate looked a little red and covered her and the baby up with a blanket as the trio came in. Hurley hovering over Jack. Jack sat Libby up at the kitchen table, pulling her eyelids up and peering into her eyes and then pinching the skin on the top of her hand.

"She's severely dehydrated." Jack stated. "We need to slowly get water into her system."

Kate and Sawyer were listening with open ears. "The plot thickens." Sawyer smirked.

Hurley poured a glass of water and brought it over to Libby.

Lily finished nursing and Kate adjusted her shirt and put Lily over her shoulder, gently patting her back.

"Where you goin'? Sawyer asked as Kate got up, her eyes narrowing with pain.

"Oh, I forgot, you're in the "in" crowd, you can just squeeze your way in and no one will care."

Kate and Sawyer walked over as Libby pushed past them and ran to the bathroom.

"So, staypuff, is it a spring baby?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hurley said as he tried to move past Sawyer to follow Libby.

Jack looked over at Hurley, curious. "Hurley is Libby pregnant?"

Hurley looked at Jack, then to the floor, back up to Jack and back down to the floor. He then eyed Sawyer and Kate and blurted out. "She's pretty sure she is."

"BINGO!" Sawyer yelled in excitement. "Looks like I won that round." He wrapped his arm around Hurley's shoulders and grinned. "Looks like Jabba really did put the moves on Leia, awww, whatcha gonna name the little Ewok?"

But Hurley was barely amused by Sawyer's statements, instead he was enthralled with baby Lily, poking her little cheeks with a new kind of excitement, the nervous wonder that came with the birth of a child.

Kate smiled and she set the baby girl into Hurley's arms. Hurley smiled wide as he stared at the baby girl he cradled in his arms. "Wow." He said. "Wow." It hit Hurley like a ton of bricks, the consuming feeling of joy that cast its rays on everyone else around him. "Wow, I'm gonna have this, Dudes. Wow."

Kate left Lily with Sawyer and Hurley to go sit with Libby, who was on the bathroom floor, resting her forehead on the toilet seat.

"Libby?" Kate asked, a certain comforting tone in her voice.

"How do you deal with this?" Libby asked, raising her head weakly to stare up at Kate.

"Oh, it comes and goes, I promise it'll get better."

"Not being sick...having a baby?" Libby asked.

"Don't ask me, it's my first day on the job." Kate smiled.

"I don't think I've ever been so terrified in my life." Libby stated. "Did you see how happy he is? Once I told him It was a possibility, he looked like he was going to explode with sheer joy, and here I am feeling miserable and nervous."

Kate rested a comforting hand on Libby's shoulder. "I'm not gonna stand here and tell you its easy. As a matter of fact, its not. I am in so much pain right now but you know me I'm not going to lay in bed all day...but its not even the physical part of having a baby that's tough, its an emotional experience...But you can do this, I know you can."

Libby sighed. "Hey Sun made me this drink when I had really bad morning sickness. It helps, I have no idea what its made from...and it doesn't taste too fantastic but it works."

Libby nodded.

"Why don't you come out and lay down? Just SLOWLY try and drink water, don't force yourself to drink a whole glass, just sip it slowly and when youf eel okay to take another sip, go for it."

"You sure you just had a baby?" Libby asked with a faint smile. "You're amazing."

-------------------------------

Kate & Sawyer had gone back into the bunks and let Libby lay on the couch. Hurley had gone off to see if Sun could make a drink for Libby, he knew it was pretty late but also knew that Sun was always willing to help. Jack followed Hurley back to the beach to double check on everyone there.

Sawyer inhaled deeply, his eyes shooting open and his body sitting up when he noticed his chest felt much lighter then it did as he fell asleep. Lily was gone, the tiny baby who was cuddled on his chest was nowhere to be found. He searched the sheets and woke Kate ip, only to hear the baby whimper from outside the room. Both Kate and Sawyer raised their eyesbrows. Did Libby come in and take her? But then they noticed Libby was no longer on the couch. Unconcious, she was thrown over the shoulder of one of the Others. Lily began to wailf rom the arms of another one, a younger female. And the man Sawyer had come to call Zeke smirked at both Kate and Sawyer with an unmistakable sense of power.

It all happened so fast that Sawyer couldn't even stop and count the seconds that flew by. Two more emerged, grabbing Kate and repeatedly socking Sawyer in the gut and head. And before Sawyer could really put up a fight, he and Kate were locked in the armory.

The tears overwhelmed Kate, as Sawyer in a weakened state repeatedly yelled and kicked at the heavy door that kept them in.

It was silent in the hatch, as the Other escaped, running with satisfaction back towards their territory.

Sawyer turned, his back against the cool door. He slide down to his knees and three himself forward in agony.

Lily was the reason he and Kate were together now, Lily was the reason that Sawyer had a reason to finally do things right. Lily was his hope for the future, his foundation.

And she was gone.


	24. Chapter 24: Going Under

"Sawyer, Kate?"

Sawyer nearly jumped when he heard Jack calling for them.

"IN HERE!" He yelled.

"What the...?" Jack trailed off as he looked back at Locke, Claire, Baby Aaron and Hurley.

Jack unlocked the armory door and Claire gasped at a bloody Sawyer and pale, distressed Kate.

"Those MOTHERFUCKERS." Sawyer yelled as he marched out of the armory. His anger rushing a raw adrenaline through his body as he kicked around everything in sight, causing Aaron to cry out.

"Where's Libby?" Hurley asked, clearly worried.

"They took her, they took her and they took my daughter."

Ana Lucia ran in, caught her breath and eyed Sawyer.

"They got you too?" She said, pointing to the gash on her cheek.

Jack helped Kate out of the armory and seemed worried.

"Kate, you al right?"

"Yeah Doc, she's gettin' ready to through a fiesta, what do you think they took our kid!"

"...they, they took Libby?" Hurley stuttered.

"Yeah, ran off with her and the baby some time ago, we been waitin' in there for what seemed like forever."

"They came at us on the beach." Jack stated. "Eko killed one, Ana killed another, one got off with Aaron but Locke caught up to him and got him back. Ana shot one of them before they could even get to Ki-Min."

"They launched a full scale attack. Well, to them two outta four ain't bad." Sawyer growled.

"Why would they take Libby?" Ana asked.

"She's pregnant." Jack spoke up.

"She is!" Locke, Ana & Claire exclaimed.

"How would THEY know though?" Hurley sadly asked.

"They know everythin', well, hope they know I'm comin' in and I sure as hell ain't comin' back empty handed."

"Sawyer, I know you're upset-" Jack began.

"Upset? Upset ain't the word for what I am, Jacko. You don't know what its like to have your baby girl taken right out your arms, I was sleepin' on the job and now she's gone."

"I'll go with you." Ana Lucia spoke up.

"No." Jack countered. "Nobody's goin' anywhere."

"You gonna stop us?" Sawyer growled. "You must want a bullet in your head too!"

"Two people are going to take out a whole group of people? We've tried to go after them before, no success. We need to better plan this out."

"You can plan, Doc. I'm a doer, not a thinker." Sawyer stated, motioning for Ana Lucia to follow him as he started out of the hatch.

Locke stopped Jack from following.

"This is Sawyer's bit of Good, Jack. This is his redemption, that baby. Let him go."

Jack sighed and looked at Kate who was leaning against the wall, saying nothing, her eyes to the floor.

"Kate?" Claire asked.

Jack stood before Kate and tried to catch her gaze, a moment later, she lost consciousness and fas she fell into Jack's arms.

---------------------

Sawyer watched Ana Lucia load her second gun. He smiled at her before saying, "Right On, Rambo." Before he loaded a second gun for himself. They tucked their guns in their pants covering them with their shirts. Normally Ana Lucia would just roam in a tank top, but she didn't want anything to be obvious, so she wore a baggy shirt in order to hide the guns. They never knew who, or what, lurked around them.

They started off into darkness, the uncertainty ahead of them.

-----------------------

"She's in shock." Jack sighed as Claire held a cool rag to Kate's head.

"She just had the baby, her emotions & hormones are already out of sorts, now this happens..." Claire stated, her eyes welling with tears. "I feel...I mean, it could have been Aaron, if John didn't save him...Lily...she...she is brand new, she's not even a day old..." Claire fought back the tears with all her might. "When you look at Sawyer...he's like a new person, like having this baby...like he was born all over again. They didn't deserve this."

"I know." Jack stated. "A part of me hopes that they'll come back safe and sound, but the logic of the situation..." He couldn't even finish his sentence, he looked into Claire's deep, beautiful blue eyes and saw the raw emotion, he knew she felt Kate's pain, a mother should never lose her child, and with those thoughts, Jack thought back on the baby Kate didn't carry to term. This baby really was their chance to start over, Lily was their new beginning.


	25. Chapter 25: A Promise

"Okay, now that the adrenaline of the moments dying down here ... seriously, what the fuck are we going to do?" Ana Lucia asked.

"Look, I don't know Ana Lu, somethin' moves, we shoot it, and so on." Sawyer stated, "Now unless you want us to KNOW we're comin' I suggest you shut your trap."

"Right because us walking on an unmistakable path is not obvious either."

"Fine, we'll do it your way." Sawyer said, as the sunlight began to peek through the trees. He walked into some thick foliage and Ana Lucia followed.

"Stop." Sawyer said, blocking Ana Lucia from moving any further forward with his right arm.

They both heard a rustling and remained as still, and quiet as possible.

On the worn path, Libby emerged, weakly trudging along, struggling to keep herself up.

"I don't trust this..." Ana whispered.

But Sawyer had already gone to see Libby.

"She's delusional." Sawyer stated as Ana came up behind him.

"I...I killed him." Libby quietly stated.

"We gotta take her back." Ana said, surveying their surroundings for anything out of the ordinary.

"I don't go back without Lily." Sawyer firmly stated.

"Look, you carry Libby back, I'll go on."

"Why ain't it the other way around?" Sawyer asked, but it dawned on him that though Ana was strong, she couldn't carry Libby that far back fast enough.

"Fine. Stick around here." Sawyer sighed. He grabbed Libby and threw her over his shoulder as gently as he possibly could and took off back towards the Hatch.

Sawyer turned to see if Ana Lucia listened, but when he looked back to where they had parted, she was no longer there.

--------------------------------

Kate stare at the wood beams of the top bunk, her skin pale, her eyes darkened and her freckle clad cheeks swollen & puffy from crying. She still said nothing, no matter what questions were asked, what comforts were offered, she had lost her will to do anything. She wouldn't eat, wouldn't drink, wouldn't move. It was as if he willpower and completely left her body. Lily brought them together and Lily was the reason she didn't want to run anymore. She had thought about running again, running into the jungle and screaming for them to take her too. But she couldn't move, she was frozen with the agony that her chance to do something right for once had vanished in the cool midnight air.

Claire had just about given up on trying. Trying to reach her...no matter what she did or said, Kate still remained silent and unresponsive. She sadly left the room and eyed Hurley, sitting alone on the couch, his head in his hands.

She found Jack in the kitchen and whispered, "He's not doing so good either, is he?"

Jack shook his head. "He feels like he never should have left her in the first place." Jack sighed, "They were watching, They HAD to be watching, they saw us leave and knew there were few people in here. Then they still tried the beach because even if they weren't successful...then at least they'd have Libby & Lily." Jack stated, it made perfect sense to Claire, who looked back at Locke sitting on the floor with Aaron, playing with him.

"I have this horrible feeling...deep down inside...it...its so surreal." Claire said quietly.

Nearly everyone jumped when Sawyer made his way into the Hatch, Libby over his shoulder.

"Oh my god!" Claire exclaimed. Hurley practically leapt of the couch and ran to Sawyer.

"She's been ramblin' a buncha nonsense. From what I gathered, she killed some guy and found her way back. We ran into her halfway goin'."

"Killed?" Claire nervously said, as Sawyer laid Libby out on the couch.

"Look, I didn't wanna sit and have a tea party in the middle of wonderland out there, I gotta go back and find Ana Lucia." Sawyer stated as he started off, stopping when he eyed Kate in the doorway of the bunk room.

"I'm going with you." She quietly said.

"Kate you're in no condition to come with."

"I'm going with you." Kate firmly repeated.

"Baby, you're not thinkin' right."

"Sawyer DON'T do this to me." Kate yelled.

Everyone else tried their hardest to busy themselves with Libby, they knew that they couldn't talk either of them out of anything so they quietly listened from the sidelines, as they tried to get Libby to drink something and calm down.

"I'm not losin' both of you." sawyer shot back. "I'll be damned if you get killed in the jungle just because I can't say No to you."

Kate started to sob, angrily beating her fists on Sawyer's chest. He let her do it, he understood her pain, her frustration, and he grabbed her and held her close to him, breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. He didn't know if he'd ever breathe that scent in again, and he let it linger, holding her as tight to him as he possibly could. He wanted to bring Lily back, and he would die just to get her back in Kate's arms. To him, their lives were the most important.

"You ain't goin'." Sawyer stated again. "You stay here and you keep safe and I'm going to walk back in here with her. I promise you."

Sawyer had lived his entire life on broken promises and shattered dreams, but Kate knew he wouldn't break this promise. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her forehead gently as she squeezed his hand tight in hers.

And as he walked off, she couldn't help but cry, wondering if she'd ever see him alive again.


	26. Chapter 26: Hallucination

Sawyer shook his head and looked again, squinting his eyes. In the distance stood a little girl, long blonde braids and worn out blue jeans. Standing before him was his past in a white T-shirt and no shoes, he saw Lily Rose. How long had she been dead now? Nearly 30 years it had to be. He was losing his mind, this couldn't be, could it? She flashed him a million dollar smile.

"Jamie?" He could hear her voice as he closed his eyes.

---------------------

"Jamie!" Lily Rose exclaimed, eyeing the little boy with his home made fishing pole over his shoulder.

"Hiya Lily!" The 6 year old boy exclaimed.

The little girl fished in her pocket for a moment before pulling out some candy.

"Stopped at the corner store." She smiled, handing him a piece of bubble gum.

She sadly looked over at the boy grinning to her left. "I might be going away." The little girl said as she blew a small bubble with her gum.

James sadly looked over at the girl. "For how long?"

Lily Rose looked back at James with wide, sad eyes.

"He and Momma, they fight a lot..." She picked at the grass they both sat on before she continued, "Daddy wants to get away from here, he wants me to go with him."

James couldn't remember anytime they weren't fighting. Her dad always reeked of alcohol and cigarettes and wasn't very nice at all.

"Where you goin'?"

"Iowa." The little girl stated. "It's pretty far away."

"You're gonna stay here." James smiled. "I just know it."

"Wanna come eat lunch with me?" Lily smiled.

"'Course!" James answered as the two children ran the entire way to Lily Rose's small house.

"Hi there James." Her mother, Laura smiled. She sighed when she heard the old truck Lily's father drove pull up.

"You guys go play in your room for a bit." Laura stated, "I'll come bring you some sandwiches and pop in a little bit."

The two children nodded and skipped back into Lily's room.

_Do you ever STOP, Wayne? Its Eleven Thirty, its not even afternoon yet...have SOME dignity!_

The two children tried not to listen to the muffled voices outside of the room.

_Why don't YOU go to Iowa, leave Lily and I be. There's nothin' there for us. And I'm not movin' unless you can change and I know you can't. So don't you think you can take her with you, cuz I sure as hell will put up a good fight, Wayne. _

Lily's eyes welled with tears, she could hear her father repeatedly slap her mother.

"I hope he does go away." Lily sadly said as James grabbed her hand and held it in his. She was his best friend in the entire world, and he felt sad seeing her cry.

------------------------

Sawyer opened his eyes to no one. He was alone in the jungle and he couldn't figure why Lily Rose came to him like that. He tried not to think about her, he pushed her out of her mind after her funeral and tried to ignore the pain. He visited her grave one time when he was conning in Tennessee, and it killed him inside. It was the big thing in his town for a few years, poor Laura Jensen, loses her daughter and then her husband takes off to Iowa. Laura locked herself in her house and avoided human contact, and Sawyer wondered if she was still alive. Lily Rose was the tragedy of the town...until Sawyer's father killed himself and his wife, Brooke.

He wondered how life would be if Lily Rose was still alive. Had she have never died, maybe his whole life would have changed.

He scolded himself for even thinking about the past. This was here, this was now, and he couldn't find Ana Lucia anywhere.

Fuck, Ana Lu, where you at? Sawyer thought.

"I don't like it."

Sawyer turned around as fast as he could to see the little girl, smiling at him.

"I don't like it." She said again.

"Huh?"

"Sawyer, I don't like it. You're still silly Jamie to me."

"I don't like people callin' me Jamie." He stated. _Great, I'm going crazy_. He thought. "Nobody's really called me that..."

"Since I died?"

He hesitated before he spoke again. "Yeah."

"Hey Jamie, you believe in fate?"

_I'm talking about fate with a dead girl_.

"Nah."

"You don't think some things are meant to be?"

_What the fuck did they put in my coffee_?

Sawyer said nothing, he figured if he ignored her, she'd go away.

"Sometimes you have to let go of the past, before you can get a good grip on the future."

He turned to stare at her, as he watched a wound appear on her forehead. The blood trickled down her face, as her skin grew pale, the blood soaking into her clean white shirt.

He looked away, and when he looked back again, she was gone.

_I'm in the middle of the jungle, talkin' to some cryptic six year old_? His thoughts focused back on his own Lily.

"Shit." He muttered, scolding himself for getting distracted.

He couldn't find any sign of Ana Lucia, the footprints he did stumble upon just led him in a circle. He wished Kate was there, chuckling to himself as he remember her helping him track the Boar. She was always one step ahead of him, but he couldn't bring her along. She wasn't physically prepared for a battle and there was no way he would loose the two most important things to him.

The morning sun was peaking through the trees, shining on a spot of ground that was freshly moistened with blood, the ivy leaves glossy with it.

He started to kneel but a rustling to his right startled him. He reached into his pants and grabbed both the guns. The rustling didn't change directions, or seem to come forward at all after a moment, so Sawyer slowly inched in the direction, spotting more blood.

His eyes focused on a figure as he moved closer.

"Sawyer?" He heard, nearly dropping his guns when he saw Ana Lucia, turned away from him, sitting on the ground as he moved some bushes.

She was struggling to catch her breath and he noticed she was gushing blood from her back.

"What the fuck happened to you?"

As he kneeled behind her studying her wound. He heard a sound that made his heart jump, and peering over Ana Lucia's shoulder...

...He saw his baby daughter.


	27. Chapter 27: The Return

"How did you...?" He trailed off, as he took the baby girl from Ana's arms.

"Leave me." She stated. "Take her back first."

She was having trouble breathing and from what Sawyer could tell, she had lost far too much blood.

"I can't leave you here." Sawyer stated.

"GO, SAWYER." Ana Lucia ordered.

Sawyer stared at her back again, trying to locate where she was hurt. It looked like the blood was coming from her left shoulder blade.

"I'll be okay."

"Look, how the hell did you go into their territory and come out with my baby?"

She glared at Sawyer, raising her arm and pointing off into the distance. "Go." She growled. "Go before they find you."

Sawyer looked down at the baby in his arms, the blanket she was wrapped in was soaked with blood, Ana Lucia's blood, or was it? Either way he held her tiny body close to his chest, his beating heart and her steady paced walking calming the baby girl. He nervously kept checking over his shoulders, waiting for the moment when they would surround him and steal her back.

He wanted to sigh in relief when he realized he was almost there, he wanted to cry out in sheer happiness when he made his way into the Hatch.

Claire jumped up from the floor, where she was sitting by Libby's side.

Jack couldn't believe his eyes when Sawyer walked in with Lily in his arms, but he didn't even stop, he just marched right into the bunks and to Kate, who was sitting with her head in her hands. She slowly lifted her head, crying out when she saw Sawyer standing before her.

She couldn't help but sob when he placed Lily in her arms.

"How?" Jack asked from the doorway.

"Ana Lucia." Sawyer stated.

"Where is she?"

"She told me to leave her and bring Lily back. She's hurt pretty bad."

"How did she..?" Jack trailed off, "Well, where exactly is she?"

"About 30 feet in from the line." Sawyer said, "She's still in their territory."

"I'm going to get her." Jack said as he turned.

Funny, he won't help me get my kid, but he'll get Ana Lucia. Sawyer thought as he shook his head.

Locke offered to go with him, and Jack reluctantly accepted. They were far too lucky getting Libby & Lily back so that meant going one by one into the jungle now would be deadly.

"Give me your guns." Jack demanded as he came back to Sawyer.

"You gonna leave us unarmed in this place?"

"They won't come back."

"Yeah, and you know that for sure?"

Jack sighed, and Sawyer rolled his eyes, pulling one gun from his pants.

"I'm not takin' anymore chances, Doc."

Jack was lucky Sawyer gave him anything at all.

"You get to Ana, she has two guns."

"And if we don't?"

"Ain't my concern what happens to you."

Jack just shook his head as he and Locke left.

"I'll never break a promise to you." Sawyer said as he kneeled down in front of Kate, touching her cheek gently. "I'm do everything I can to get us off this rock, get the hell outta this place, I'm gonna do things right for once."

"I don't want to leave." Kate spoke up, her cheeks wet from crying. "I don't want to loose this..." She said looking at Sawyer and then down at Lily.

"You ain't gonna loose us."

"Yes, I am...If I go back...I can't run, I can't run with a baby, Sawyer."

He looked down at his knees, his jeans torn and his left knee bleeding. He didn't even remember getting hurt.

"James." He stated. "Call me James."

Kate had only ever called him James when he was being scolded or the conversation was of the dead serious nature, and it was the same with the other castaways.

"Sawyer...Sawyer...that's who I was. James, that's who I am."

Kate weakly smiled at him. She was proud of him, and scolded herself for ever doubting him. She was the only person he fully trusted in the world, the only person who truly knew who he was. She accepted his flaws, she embraced him, because deep down she knew he truly loved her for who she was as well.

He reached forward and stroked Lily's head as Kate took the dirty blanket off of her, surveying her body. She fussed as cool air hit her bare skin. Kate ran her fingertips over the baby girls soft skin and smiled as Lily stopped fussing and looked up at her, James stood up and sat himself next to Kate, smiling down at the baby girl. He took her little foot into his hand, and nearly jumped up with shock.

"They branded her!" He exclaimed, as he showed the bottom of her foot to Kate.

There was a fresh burn mark in the shape of a plus on the baby girl's foot.

Kate sighed, "How is that justified?"

"Those bastards are lucky I didn't make it to their camp." James growled.

Kate fought back her tears, quietly saying, "It could be worse." She didn't want to dwell on it, she couldn't she was afraid that if she cried out or yelled, their luck would cease to exist and she would be gone again.

James nodded, she was alive, and aside from the mark on her foot, she was okay.

He stared at Kate in admiration. She was pale, exhausted cheeks swollen and in physical pain, but she was still so strong, still so gorgeous to him.

"You need to sleep." He softly said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

She looked at him, her eyes filled with raw emotion. "So do you."

He shook his head, "I'm fine."

Lily started to wail and Kate smiled, she was so happy to hear her cry, know that she was really there.

Kate sleepily nursed the little girl then turned to her side, Lily curled up against her stomach. The morning air was warm, so she laid uncovered, Lily in just a tiny diaper Claire had made for them.

Sawyer smiled as he watched them curled up together, he was exhausted himself but his fears of a full scale retaliation from the others wouldn't allow him to sleep. Instead he made his way to the kitchen, looking for some coffee or tea, anything to perk him up.

Hurley was sitting on the floor below Libby on the couch, running his fingers through her hair.

Hurley watched Sawyer for a moment before finally asking, "Everything's going to be alright, yeah Dude?" He looked back it Libby and then back at James.

"Yeah, everything's going to be fine." James assured.


	28. Chapter 28: The End

By the time Jack and Locke got back to the Hatch, Ana Lucia was dead. She died in Jack's arms, struggling on her finals words.

With wondering eyes she managed to ask Locke, "I did my good, right?"

Jack didn't understand, but it was clear to Locke. She didn't care if she died if it meant saving Lily, her guilt and left her empty and alone, the guilt of revenge, of running away, of killing Shannon and fighting pregnant Kate, causing her to loose Lily's twin. She did her good, she saved Lily, hoping as she closed her eyes one last time, that her good deed might fix something she screwed up, that her good deed could let her rest in peace.

Kate couldn't help but cry when she woke up to see Ana Lucia's body laid out on the couch, Libby weakly leaning against Hurley and sobbing as well. Claire silently looked at the floor as a single tear rolled down her cheek. James stood solemn, a million thoughts racing through his mind.

Jack took a deep breath as he walked towards James, his shirt bloodstained, dark circles around his eyes.

Kate held Lily tight to her chest as she slowly walked over to Ana's body, reaching down and touching Ana's left hand which rest on her chest. She couldn't even thank her, couldn't tell her how much it meant to her that she had Lily back.

"She made it as far as she did on pure adrenaline." Jack said to James, who was watching Kate, he looked away, trying to hide the sadness in his eyes.

"She took out three of them. From what she said, they weren't guarding her well. She was going on and on...but it was hard to make out what she said. How she did it..."

"No sense dwellin' on how's or why's..." James sighed. Jack nodded as he too another deep breath.

"We're going to bury her in a few hours."

James nodded.

The funeral was simple, as they had all come to be on the island. They didn't ever have the perfect words to say, and nearly everyone stood silent. Kate and James spoke their thanks and Jack spoke rather highly of Ana. Though she wasn't the most liked person of the group, what she did was honorable, so everyone paid her respects and Claire, Libby and Kate left wildflowers on her grave as Eko prayed.

With every door that closes in life, another door opens somewhere. James and Kate knew this as they walked down the beach, the cool wet sand under their feet and their precious baby girl asleep in James' arms. With every birth there was a new life, a new beginning, with each soul set free another could come and be linked to its flesh. Aaron's birth saw the death of Boone, Ki-Min was conceived as Bonne's soul left, soon followed by his step sister, Shannon and Ki-Min's birth saw the end of the love triangle that once existed between Jack, Kate & Sawyer. Lily's birth brought forth new beginning's for James & Kate, and the death of Ana Lucia, whose emptiness was finally ended as she lay in the could earth, redeemed by her good dead & sacrificing her own life for Lily's. Everything, including Life, has an end, a good movie, a good book, a first kiss & the sweet gift of life itself. They counted their blessings that day, said a few prayers and hoped like little children that death wouldn't come lurking around again anytime soon.

Kate & James stopped, Kate wrapping her arm around his waist, she turned and smiled through her tears and they both turned and stared, beyond the sea.

**THE END.**

NOTE: I feel like my kid just went off to college LOL. I've been working on this fic for a while now and putting a lost of my time into it because I just couldn't get enough of it.

So, I decided. I'm not done with Lily Alexis Claire Rose Ford. And with that, keep checkin' in on me ;)

-Kate


End file.
